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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25948546">Passing Through</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lime_in_coconut/pseuds/Lime_in_coconut'>Lime_in_coconut</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Logan Lucky (2017)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Logan Lucky (2017) Setting, Boy Trouble, Clyde Logan is a Sweetheart, Cussing, Drinking, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Implied Sexual Content, Love Triangles, Minor Violence, Musical References, Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Partners in Crime, Past Sexual Abuse, Sexual Tension, Slow Burn, Southern Gentleman Clyde Logan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 07:20:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>45,398</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25948546</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lime_in_coconut/pseuds/Lime_in_coconut</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>You and your friends have been running away for so long but when unfortunately your car breaks down and leaves you having to stay in a small town in West Virginia for a little longer than you feel comfortable with, things get complicated. Especially with that tall handsome bartender.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Clyde Logan &amp; Reader, Clyde Logan &amp; You, Clyde Logan/Reader, Clyde Logan/You</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>36</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Bumfuck, Nowhere</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hey everyone!</p>
<p>So this is my first story ever, it's been stuck in my head for a while now but I had to write it down and then get some courage to the idea of posting it on here. I decided today to take the plunge and just do it. I know there might be few errors  here and there but my hope is to become a better writer like the people on here who inspire me with their stories. Please be patient with my trial and error writing skills and be nice in the comments please.  Hopefully many of you can look past it and enjoy the story. Thanks.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>hope you enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>August 24th, 2017</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What the fuck happened, and where the hell are we?” </p>
<p>“I’m not sure James.” You say with your hands over your face and both legs outside of the car. “but the car is not working and unless someone can look under the hood and let me know what it is, it’s not looking good.”</p>
<p>You look at your friends one by one, knowing that their knowledge was just as good as yours, which was absolutely nothing. </p>
<p>“Fine, I’ll try.” Maya says with false certainty and heads to the front of the hood and starts trying to pull it up. After several attempts Maya looks depleted “Well the first issue is the hood is jammed, Y/n did you run into something like a shrubbery or a small tree, maybe some twigs are jammed up in there?”</p>
<p>“No, there is a button to get it open, but unfortunately I don’t know where it is cause I’ve never driven a fucking 69 Ford Mustang…. JAMES!”</p>
<p>“well excuse me for not picking a Nissan for the millionth time!” James says dramatically. “I was just spicing up your life, the Spice Girls would be proud.”</p>
<p>“Yeah except, that’s kinda your only job.” says a tiny voice from the back until she reveals herself to the others with a sleep mask around her eyes “to get us cars and get ones that no one would be looking for.”</p>
<p>“Jesus fucking Christ Sam!” James holding his hand to his chest “I thought you were sleeping.”</p>
<p>“Well I was till y’all started yelling at each other.” She said as she was sliding her mask off her face. “What’s going on Y/N?”</p>
<p>“Well, other than James fucking sucking at his one job….” </p>
<p>“blow it outcha ass” James is heard saying under his breath.</p>
<p>You continue, “We are stuck in…. I think from the last sign I saw was Madison, West Virginia, population 2,758, and counting according to the graffiti.”<br/>“Well what should we do now?” says Sam still trying to wake up. “This is how horror movies start, a bunch of hot young people getting stranded in the middle of nowhere till we get killed one by one by either cannibals, vampires or worst…...bigots.”</p>
<p>“just those three, huh?”</p>
<p>“In Bumfuck, Hicktown fucking nowhere there is.” James says.</p>
<p>“Well two of those are not even real Sam, and the other one you don’t need to worry about cause you’re a cute little white girl.” Maya says as she gestures her hand up and down towards Sam.</p>
<p>“And straight.” James says looking accusatory towards you.</p>
<p>“That was one time, and I did it so you fucking bitches could get free drinks that night, which your welcome by the way, never get thanks for seducing people for y’all.”</p>
<p>“like we were twisting your arm that night.” Maya says laughing</p>
<p>“well she was pretty cute, and least you didn’t make me seduce that other bartender who was missing his front tooth.” You shudder as you remember.</p>
<p>“Hey!” James jumps in “He got it knocked out during a hockey match earlier that day.”</p>
<p>Everyone shouts something at James all at once and laughs, as James flicks everyone off.</p>
<p>Trying to get everyone back on track, “Ok, I say we get moving and see if we can find a place where we can maybe get info on an auto repair shop.”</p>
<p>“I’m sorry did you just say we are walking; I must have heard you wrong.” James said moving closer to you. </p>
<p>“I don’t know, what about vampires?” Sam said</p>
<p>“This is not True Blood Sam, Bill and Eric are unfortunately not here.” Maya says, “Can we start walking, please?”</p>
<p>You nod at Maya thankful that someone has their head on straight to help you out with the other two, it always been like that with you and Maya happily taking on the roles as the mama bears for the other two. She was your first friend and your best friend. Always joking you were each other’s ride or die bitches.</p>
<p>You and the gang started walking in silence for a while till James notices Sam being very wary of her surroundings.<br/>“What’s wrong Sam, still think a vampire is gonna suck you dry?” </p>
<p>“You never know, they are quick you know.” You and Maya know not to say anything to spark up Sam’s very vivid imagination that she already knows she does for herself.</p>
<p>“well here let me put on some music to put you at ease.” James takes out his I-Pod and portable speaker and puts on Vampire Blues by Neil Young. James starts singing to Sam.</p>
<p>“Your actually not funny James, I know you wish you were, but you’re not.”  You and Maya start chuckling and start singing with James</p>
<p>I'm a vampire, babe,<br/>suckin' blood<br/>from the earth<br/>I'm a vampire, baby,<br/>suckin' blood<br/>from the earth.<br/>Well, I'm a vampire, babe,<br/>sell you…..</p>
<p>You spot it first and lightly hit Maya on the arm to get her attention, James and Sam both look up as well.  It was a small building with lights around the makeshift porch and a lit-up sign at the very top that says DUCK TAPE. You laugh at the name. </p>
<p>“… duck tape instead of duct tape….” You look to see no one laughing with you. “What....It’s funny!” everyone in unison slowly stops looking at you. Maya takes the lead.</p>
<p>“So, should we all go in there together or better splitting up in twos?”</p>
<p>“You should never split up, that’s how they get you.” Says Sam very proudly.</p>
<p>“Ok, so we have input from the tiny white girl, I think she should go in there all by herself, be the bait.”</p>
<p>“Up yours James, your just pissed cause all that makeup you have on and you still would not count as a possibility to be the final girl.”</p>
<p>James gasps loudly “Oh. My. God. Rude!” James gives her a glare “Bitch your just mad cause I look better than you right now.”</p>
<p>“I was sleeping!”</p>
<p>“I’ll go. You cowards.” You looked over at the group “I’m tired and honestly death sounds better than listening to you two right about now.”<br/>Maya laughs and looks at you “I’ll go too, ride or die right?” as she smirks at you and you can’t help but smirk right back.</p>
<p>“Since James has already volunteered me as tribute, I’ll go too.” Sticking her tongue out at James</p>
<p>Everyone looks at James who’s silently pouting and then finally gets the courage to look at you and the girls, you smile “As the man of the group it would be really great if you could join us.”</p>
<p>James scoffs “Seriously, that’s the best you got……” James’s continues eye contact with you in a staring contest before finally looking away. “Ugh, fine ok I’m coming in too…. I was going to anyway, just wanted to know you needed me first.”</p>
<p>You smile at James and look back at the building, your smile fades not really sure what’s gonna be in store for you and your friends in this building. All you know is being in this town at night with a broken down car left you no choice to but to be courageous </p>
<p>“Ok, everyone put your big girl panties on, and let’s do this.”</p>
<p>As you and the gang enter this building you notice the dim and very wooden interior with a bar in the middle of the room, you hear Patsy Cline on the jukebox that was placed in the corner on the left and a pool table little bit further to the right. Your eyes then set on the man behind the bar, he seems hard to miss being very tall with wide shoulders and dark shoulder length hair. </p>
<p>“What in the Howdy Doody, is this bullshit.”  James quietly says so the group can only hear.</p>
<p>“Evening.” says the deep voice from near the bar. You look up and see the man behind the bar looking at the group and then look away when you make eye contact with him.</p>
<p>“So, I feel confident I could take about 2 of the 3 people here in this bar.” Maya whispers.</p>
<p>You roll your eyes “Well let’s try the passive approach first.”</p>
<p>You saunter over to the bar with your friends trailing behind knowing full and well about your skill in people and let you take the lead. You put your best flirty smile and lean on the bar to make sure your cleavage is in view.</p>
<p>The bartender looks up and sees you and immediately looks down “Evening what can I get you?”</p>
<p>You smile back quickly at your friends knowing it’s working and got this bartenders attention; you go back to looking at him. “Well hopefully your help, we were passing through your quaint little town and found ourselves in quite the pickle. Our car broke down in the middle of the road, if you can let us know where the nearest auto shop is, that would be greatly appreciated.” </p>
<p>The bartender finally looks up and gives you eye contact “Well ma’am, I got good news and bad news for you.” You smile confidently “We got the best auto repair shop in Boone County just a few blocks from here, Earls Auto Body Shop.” You look back at your friends who are sharing the same enthusiasm to this news. “Hell, he even works overtime for emergency situations like this.”</p>
<p>You continue your flirty smile “great, point us in his direction.”</p>
<p>“You see that’s the bad news.” He points at the man at the other end of the bar. “Earl, how drunk are you right now?”</p>
<p>The man at the end of the bar looks over, who you are guessing is the infamous Earl.  “I’m not drunk, I can’t get drunk on whiskey, proven fact.”</p>
<p>The bartender looks at him “Earl, you’ve been drinking beer all night.”</p>
<p>The man looks at the bottles around him and looks at the labels one by one “well shit, I thought you were sampling tiny whiskey this whole time.”</p>
<p>Bartender just stares at him before slowly looking back over to you “I don’t think he’s gonna be able to operate heavy machinery tonight, but maybe… if you keep batting those eyes, I might give you and your friends a free drink for your troubles.” He smirks.</p>
<p>Your flirty smile disappears and now it’s your turn to look away and mumble a response “Yeah we’ll take up your offer.” </p>
<p>Bartender starts pouring shots of tequila into a shot glass and pushes all four in your direction with one hand. Maya and James grab their glasses and clink theirs together before downing it. Sam grabs hers and sips it before realizing that’s a bad idea and downs hers. You grab yours and before you drink you look up at the bartender “What, not joining us in our pain?”</p>
<p>Bartender smirks and grabs another glass from above him and pours himself a shot as well. He lifts it towards the shot in your hand and clinks it. “To being up shit creek without a paddle but trying with those eyes.” He downs the shot. </p>
<p>After the shock of what he said you focus back on the shot and down yours as well. You hear Earl from across the bar mumbling something</p>
<p>“Tow…Tow it.... Jesse Jr....hell maybe that sonabitch… Jesse Sr.”</p>
<p>You look over to the bartender. “What is he saying?”</p>
<p>He looks over to you and sighs “he wants me to call Jesse &amp; Jesse Towing for you, least get your car in his lot.</p>
<p>“That’s great, Let’s do that then, why was this not brought to our attention sooner?”</p>
<p>The bartender looks at Earl for a second and says loudly for Earl to hear “Cause last time Earl and Jesse Sr. saw each other, the cops were called over a dispute….”</p>
<p>“That sonabitch knows he cheated me out, he owes me!”</p>
<p>“You bet on a race, and he won fair and square, Earl.”</p>
<p>“Who’s side are you on!”</p>
<p>The bartender just looks at you “I’m just not sure how he’s gonna feel putting money in Earls lot.”</p>
<p>You look at him “Please can you at least try, me and my friends are trying to get to New York and we really need to get back on the road as soon as possible.”</p>
<p>He sighs again “I can see if he can do it as a favor to me, put his anger at Earl to the side this one time, but it still won’t get done till tomorrow…” looks at Earl again. Earl has his head down on the bar and mumbling something incoherent. “Afternoon.”</p>
<p>“That’s fine, we’ll take what we can get.” As the bartender starts heading towards what you can only guess is an office you say “By the way I never got your name, my name Is Y/N and these are my friends Maya, James and Sam. Holding up your left arm for a hand shake.</p>
<p>He looks at your hand and lifts his left hand. You quickly realize why he didn’t shake your hand; his left forearm and hand was completely missing and in its place was a mechanical metal hand.</p>
<p>You’re feeling incredibly stupid for not noticing till now the mechanical elephant in the room. “oh my god, I’m so sorry for…”</p>
<p>“It’s fine, it was actually kinda nice that not being the first thing you noticed, usually it is. He said with a sadness behind it.</p>
<p>Realizing your picking up on his tone he quickly deflects “I’m Clyde Logan, It’s nice to meet ya.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Friends in Low Places</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After the redoing the handshake, this time using the right hands, you watch as he moves out from behind the bar and heads into his office, you now get to see his full body and demeanor when he walks. He walks with his shoulders straight and eyes in full attention in front of him, he walks with a purpose. You wonder if that is just being from a town like this or from something else. You can’t help but also notice just how big this guy really is, not only was he tall but when you went in for the handshake you noticed how big his hands were compared to your hand, you felt oddly turned on about his stature leaving you in a daze thinking about it before Sam broke you’re concentration.</p><p>“Did you see that, T-1000, add it to the list, he could definitely be a terminator, he’s got that size of Arnold down.”</p><p>“You idiot, Arnold was a T-800.” Maya glares “What’s the point of watching these movies with you if you’re not gonna pay attention?”</p><p>You glare at both of them “Why don’t we not be rude to someone’s disability and compare him to bad characters, hm?” You look at both of them one at a time. “He’s helping us, let’s not bite the hand that feeds us.”</p><p>“Hey, I was just correcting her, didn’t mean to get your panties up in a bunch.” Maya look smugly at you knowing why all the sudden you were secretly defending him. Damn Maya for always knowing what was going on in your mind, but you knew she was not going to let the others in on it which you appreciated. The others would for sure give you shit.</p><p>“Well it’s all great and everything about him helping poor little ole us but he’s about to tow our closet and lodging for the night. What now geniuses?”  James was not looking at anyone when he was saying this, he was looking at his nails and had a proud smirk on his face like he just out bested all of us.</p><p>You roll your eyes “You understand he is taking away your shit too, right?” you smile seeing him realize this.  “What ever will you do without your moisturizer tonight?” as you fake a sad face at him.</p><p>James stares at you and then stomps one foot on the ground “Well…. What the hell we gonna do?”</p><p>“Relax, I’m sure there is a hotel we can stay at, there is no way places here are expensive, right? Maya says assuredly. “Not like this is a happening hot spot for tourist.”</p><p>As she says that a loud slam comes from the office door, Clyde is coming back with little bit more of a faster pace. “Ok, got it covered, your car is being towed as we speak.”</p><p>You glance at him and notice his different demeanor from him than before. “Is everything ok, did he give you trouble because it was going to Earls shop?”<br/>
Clyde glances your way and his face softens a bit “He’s obviously still little pissed with Earl, but I took care of it.”</p><p>“By how exactly?” you say worried on what that meant. Was Clyde gonna have to provide free drinks forever to this guy? Did Clyde expect to return a favor one day?</p><p>“I uh…” Clyde chuckles “I told him I would help Jesse Jr. out in talking to my sister, according to Jesse Sr., Jesse Jr. has had a big crush on her for a while now.”</p><p>Your eyes widen in surprised by the answer “How’s your sister gonna take that?”</p><p>“Probably not well to be honest, it’s bad enough I’m invading her space now, I think I’m getting on her nerves and she’s too nice to say something.” He gains the courage to look up at you “But that’s’ not for you and your friends to worry about, it’s taken care of, if you need a ride there…”</p><p>You give him a look of confusion. “The auto shop.” He continues just an octave bit louder than necessary. You give him a look of realization knowing what he meant now but you’re not sure why he would bring this up. He clears his throat. “Obviously not tonight, but tomorrow when Earl is little bit more cap…”</p><p>Suddenly James appears at your side with one side of his body leaning against the bar, your attention suddenly goes to him, “Did you ask about the hotels around here.” As he stares at you and not making eye contact with Clyde. Like you’re the only one allowed to talk to Clyde.</p><p>You make a quick glance to Clyde before turning your attention back to James, “Nope, not yet... we were talking about Clyde giving us a ride to the auto sho…”</p><p>James whisper to you “you should ask.’ Before heading back at the table where everyone else was sitting. Leaving you to try figure out how to explain your socially inept friends to him.</p><p>“uhhh….”</p><p>“we have one hotel, it’s no fancy four star hotel but it will be a good place to lay your head for the night.” He says smirking. </p><p>“I’m sorry about my friends, I promise they are not this terrible at conversation.”</p><p>“It’s ok, least your good at it.” Leaning on the bar as much as his tall frame could without looking uncomfortable. “I’m actually about to start doing closing tasks for the night, if you and your friends are willing, I can take y’all to the hotel… tonight.” You laugh and nod at the idea of spending a little bit more time with the handsome bartender a bit longer.<br/>
You hang out with your friends at the table letting them on to the plan for the rest of the night with surprisingly no qualms, shortly after regular conversation of random topics start to happen like normal, like aliens, movie endings that Sam does not understand, and favorite karate moves. You try to stay in the conversation, but you find yourself dazing in and out and sometimes your eyes catching Clyde wiping down tables or doing a quick quantity check on the liquor bottles.  Finally, you notice what you guess is his final task, taking care of Earl. He takes his arm and wraps it around his shoulder and lifts him up from the stool as he proceeds to look at the table you are all seated at. “Y’all ready to go?” as he continues to support Earl on his shoulder and heads to the front door. Everyone gets up and follows Clyde out the door. Clyde looks at you and your friends and ask, “Can one of you grab my keys and lock the door for me, it’s in my back pocket.”</p><p>Before you step in and help him out, Sam takes a step forward, “Oh, I’m good with keys!” and takes her small hand and starts digging in his left back pocket before realizing it was not in that one and going to the right. “Found them!” as she jingles the keys in her hand and head to the door to lock it. You try to not look frustrated with her but a little tinge of jealousy sparks knowing Sam of all people has been closer with Clyde then you would like. She locks the door and raises the keys up again in her hand to indicate what Clyde wants her to do with them now. “Uh, just hold on to them for me, thanks.” He points his head towards a dark green Gran Prix. “That’s my car if y’all want to wait for me there, I’ll be over in a minute.”  You all nod and start heading over to the car but you look back to see Clyde taking Earl to a truck and lying him down on the bench seat as he says something to Earl unintelligible before closing the truck door carefully. When he turns around and suddenly makes eye contact with you, in a panic you try to look away and look back at your friends. Suddenly you feel a gust of wind behind you, and a hand extend out.  </p><p>“I can take those keys from you now ma’am.”</p><p>Sam looks up then quickly gives the keys to Clyde, “You can call me Sam you know; you make me sound so old, I’m actually the youngest of the bunch.” She says smiling</p><p>Maya and James groan in unison before James adds “By one year, it’s not that crazy.” Clyde chuckles as he is opening the passenger door up for everyone to climb in.</p><p>“Well regardless, I promise I will remember to say Sam instead of ma’am next time.” As he smiles at the group and one by one jump into the backseat, leaving you to take the front. Clyde shuts your door and goes around to the driver side.</p><p>As Clyde maneuvers in quickly into the car he asks, “I don’t think I asked how y’all all know each other?”</p><p>“School.”</p><p>“Lived in the same neighborhood.”</p><p>“Childhood friends.”</p><p>“Colleagues?”   </p><p>All in unison. Silence fills the car for what felt like forever before you knew you had to resolve the situation quickly.<br/>
You fake a laugh, “Oh, well we are technically all of these, it’s a… ongoing joke in the group on what came first, we obviously all have our different opinions.</p><p>Clyde just looks at you confused “Wouldn’t childhood friends be the obvious choice?”</p><p>Staring at him a minute. “Yes. Except we can’t remember who met who first. Does it really count if its not everyone knowing everyone?”</p><p>Clyde gives a look of agreement, “I see your point, hope one day the debate gets figured out.” Before starting the car and heading out the parking lot. You quickly give a look to the back with relief on your face.</p><p> </p><p>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sorry, what is this?” James was staring out of the window and of course was the first to notice and make a comment on the exterior of the hotel.</p><p>Clyde turned off his engine, “This is the hotel, I told you it wasn’t any four star hotel or nothing.” He opened his car door and start heading in, you and your friends were shortly behind</p><p>“What are you doing?” As you try to keep up with him but his stride provides more ground to be covered faster than you. Before he could answer your question, he was already at the door and greeting the woman in her mid-forties at the front of the counter.</p><p>“Hey Carol, how’s it going?”</p><p>She looks up and smiles “Well, well, well, you’re the last face I thought I would see in here Clyde Logan…” she spots you and the smile fade into a more confused look as stand behind him and looking short of breath. “Needing a little privacy away from your sist...” </p><p>“Oh. No, no.no.” Thankfully your friends finally catch up and join you and Clyde inside. This confuses Carol more; she looks visibly taken aback. Clyde just continues “These are some new friends of mine who were passing through and found themselves stuck in our town when their car broke down. Hoping you could help them out.”</p><p>“Well Clyde you know I can’t just be giving away rooms left and right, that’s how crazy people use hotel rooms for a body disposal site.” She says with a nod.</p><p>Sam’s eyes perk up “Oh, I saw that story on that serial killer too, he really likes hotels.”</p><p>James already hating this place the moment he laid eyes on it. “Great, add it to the list, serial killers who love disposing bodies in places like this.” Putting emphasis when he said places and looking directly at you. Just as you were going to make a sarcastic remark you heard Clyde pipe up.</p><p>“Well Carol, has that happened here?” </p><p>Carol looks away “No, it Hasn’t, I was just saying…” </p><p>“Now, I’m not asking you to give them a free room but maybe a ‘I’m sorry your car broke down in our town’ discount.” He looks at her with a placate look.</p><p>“50.”</p><p>“50, what’s the regular price!?” shocked at the revelation that this place is any more than the price that was just given to them and of course Maya not being able to help herself when it came to barter.</p><p>“Hundred a night usually, if you would like to pay regular price, I won’t mind.” Carol looks at Maya and smiles and now notice a few teeth missing from Carols mouth.</p><p>You quickly perk up knowing if you don’t put a stop to Maya’s tough approach to getting a better deal, you all may actually be out of a room all together. “No ma’am we’ll take it, thank you for the discount.”</p><p>“yeah…no problem.” Carol starts typing on a computer that looks like it might be from 1995.</p><p>Clyde looks back at the group, “Well now that’s taken care of, on to the matter of getting y’all to Earls tomorrow, maybe I can get a cell number from one of you and you can text me when you’re ready for me to come get ya.”</p><p>Everyone shares a look with each other before Sam pipes up “we don’t own phones.”</p><p>Clyde not sure how to proceed with the information given to him. “No one has a phone, I’m surprised I thought everyone had a phone, hell even one of those prepaid phones from Walmart.”</p><p>“We just could never fit it in our very tight budget; besides we always are around each other so what’s the point.” You say as you shrug your shoulders at the end. “How about we go ahead and give you a time and we will be sure to be outside waiting.”</p><p>Clyde has a look of interest in continuing to ask about it but his face softens, “Sure, now remember Earl ain’t gonna be a functioning human till at least the afternoon, so how bout one thirty?”</p><p>Before you can answer, you hear a voice ring out from behind the counter, “Who’s paying?</p><p>Out of force of habit all four make a semi-circle and start playing a game of Rock, Paper Scissors where Maya comes out the loser. “Damn it, James you cheat you always play rock.” As Maya heads to the front of the counter.</p><p>“Well stop always being predictable and play scissors during the last round.” As he smiles at the double entendre and Maya just flipping the bird at him from behind her back. </p><p>You look back at Clyde and smile “One-thirty will work.” Clyde has a look of confusion but decides that now is not the time to touch it.</p><p>“Ok, great.” Before turning around to the door. “Night Carol.” You hear a mumble from Carol to what you can guess is only a reply back. “And y’all have a good night as well, I’ll see you tomorrow. As he says it to the group but looks in your direction when he begins saying about see them tomorrow. You catch yourself getting a pang in your stomach as you watch him leave, get back into his car and drive off.</p><p>“You need help with your suitcases?” you hear from behind the counter a voice that snaps you out of the daze. Your attention goes back to the situation in front of you.</p><p>James Looks around the room of no suitcases. “No. I think we are ok.”</p><p>“Ok Then, well here’s the keys.” And hands them to Maya. She stares at them as she picks them up from Carols hand.</p><p>“Huh, they are actually keys.” Holding them in her hand and suddenly they are swiped away by Sam.</p><p>“Keys are my thing, you promised you wouldn’t take this job away from me.” Looking concerned and worried.</p><p>“No one is going to take keys away from you hon.” You say trying to be reassuring “Can we just go up to the room I’m exhausted.” Looking towards Carol. “Excuse me, where are your elevators located?” </p><p>Carol just stares at you and start cackling “Oh.” Wiping away tears from her eyes “Where you think you are, some fancy pants hotel.” Starts cackling again. </p><p>You just look at her then at your friends and start heading towards the stairs while leaving Carol at her laughing fit.</p><p>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p> </p><p>The moment that the room is open everyone splits up to do their own thing. James immediately goes directly into the bathroom and shuts the door with groans and moans heard from inside, Maya starts checking the room for security cameras or recording devices, and you and Sam both take a seat on opposing beds.</p><p>“Well the beds don’t feel so bad.” Trying to find optimism in the situation.</p><p>Maya looking around a lamp very hard. “Yeah, it’s the best ever.”<br/>
“y/n do you think it’s bad that we lied to someone that is helping us, like would be so bad if he knew how we all met.” Sam is looking down, not wanting to give anyone eye contact.</p><p>Before you could answer, Maya looks away from the table she was under “Of course he should never know, you think he would even try to help us knowing the kind of people we are, not even him having the hots for y/n would get us anywhere.”</p><p>Looking away from Sam to slowly glance at Maya “Ok well one, he doesn’t, it’s just being raised right, which none of us would know about.” Maya gives a look towards you in silent agreement. “And two...” looking back at Sam who still isn’t looking up. “Sam, we have a car that technically does not belong to us, we’re not good guys here, and then add then info on how we met, we wouldn’t make it out of West Virginia.”</p><p>Maya snorts. “Beside in handcuffs.” Maya visibly shudders and gives a stern look, “Never again.”</p><p>Sam looking sad “I think we are good people just trying to get by.”</p><p>James opens up the bathroom door. “I heard Handcuffs, we talking kinky shit again, I told you about that one time….”</p><p>“No dumbass we are talking about the kind that we’ve all had to have placed on our wrists as kids.” Maya glaring at him from across the small room.</p><p>“Ew, why are we going down memory lane of the juvie days?”</p><p>It’s your turn to glare at James as well. “Because Sam wanted to know why we had to lie to Clyde about it.”</p><p>James looks at you, then at Sam, then back at you. He begins to laugh out of discomfort. “Sam, not even Y/n's  boobs can fix that problem, and I’ve seen them work miracles.”</p><p>You roll your eyes at the statement. “It was not my boobs that made Clyde help us, it was simply…. Now stay with me on this, I know no one here would know what this is…” you look around. “Being nice.” You hear groans and noise of protest from around the room. “I know, I know, it blows my mind too.”</p><p>“I think I’m nice.” Says Sam confidently </p><p>“Yeah whatever helps you sleep at night y/n.” say Maya while she goes back looking under the table.</p><p>“Your just mad that tonight was not your best A game.” James starts to walk back to the bathroom when you notice something on his back, something crawling up.</p><p>You scream what you think is James there is a cockroach on your back but is more like “Jamesyougotamothafuckincockroachonback!” which makes James start screaming and flailing about which starts a chain reaction to Sam spotting the bug and also starts screaming. Maya looks over at James, takes off her boot and slams her boot against his back and watching the bug fall from his shirt.</p><p>James rubbing the spot on his back where Maya’s boot made contact. “Oh my god that was traumatizing.”</p><p>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p> </p><p>Waking up in the hotel at noon and no one feeling good about their night. You just wish you had a change of clothes, a toothbrush and a body wash that didn’t smell like a cheap car air freshener. Regardless everyone took turns getting in the shower and freshen up as much as they could. Nobody had a good night, since finding the roach everyone had a hard time falling asleep wondering if Mr. roach had any friends that would decide to party on their faces as they slept.</p><p> </p><p>You all finally manage to get ready as best you could and head to the main lobby to drop off your keys to the front desk. You see a young, pretty blonde girl at the front already smiling in your direction as you turn the corner. It startles Maya and James a bit, but both manage to recover quickly.</p><p>Grabbing the key from Maya, you head to the counter “Hello, just dropping these off.”</p><p>In a very thick accent she asks, “How was your night Ma’am?” </p><p>Looking at her for a bit you fake a smile and say “Great, just great.”</p><p>She grabs the keys from you and starts typing on the very ancient computer. “When is Clyde coming to get y’all?”</p><p>Looking very surprised she knows and would even care “Oh, did Carol tell you about that?”   </p><p>“No when I woke up today, my mama told me about four mysterious strangers that Clyde helped out the night before.” She looks at you and smiles “then I got here, and Carol told me as well.”</p><p>Not sure what to say you just look at each other awkwardly, finally knowing you needed to say something, “Wow, news goes through fast here.”</p><p>“Wait till you meet the purple lady.” She winks.</p><p>“The what now?” you blink once.</p><p>“Hey, we good?” you look to see Maya at your side, you look back at the girl </p><p>“Yeah we are, Thank you.” As you smile and start to walk away<br/>
The girl quickly leans over the counter, “Hope y’all enjoy the rest of Madison, since now you can see more of it now with daylight and all.”</p><p>Maya looks up at her confused and you just grab her by her shoulders and force her to walk forward with you. “Did that lady tell her about us?” you just nod and head out the door and Sam and James following behind.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey everyone!</p><p>Hope you enjoyed chapter 2!</p><p>Just wanted to put some notes that i forgot to mention in the first chapter.</p><p>1. This will be a slow burn story. I've decided to put 30 chapters down, but knowing me and the fact i'm trying to keep a few things accurate from the movie (Timelines and certain events.) and wanna making sure I  have little to no plot holes, the chapter count may go up.</p><p>2. I knew when writing this story that I wanted to make sure that anyone who read this could imagine themselves as y/n, so being a new writer I was not sure how to describe your friends without the possibility of taking the reader out of the story.  Instead i would like to show some characters that inspired the 3 original characters</p><p>-Sam- I always imagined Karen from Mean Girls, I feel like Sam is smarter than Karen but the same amount of ditzy. (ditzy does not equal stupid.)  Sam also shares the same traits as Karen as well in the sense she goes with the flow but really has a big heart and a love for her friends.</p><p>-James- I'm gonna admit it, when i thought of James i first thought about the countless stories i read on here with Poe Dameron being the comedy relief gay guy. I also took inspiration from David from Schitt's Creek. very overdramatic and sarcastic, but it's also just deflecting from also being very self conscious and afraid that he will be judged by others. Just like Karen, he's very loyal to the people who he trust and loves.</p><p>-Maya- For Maya I got inspired when i rewatched Death Proof again. Kim Mathis is this bad ass character who puts a tough front for her friends, but like every human she has her fears and insecurities as well but rarely shows it. I get major mama bear vibes from this character which i knew i wanted for Maya, the feeling like if for any reason someone needed a slap of sense she would be there to gladly provide that.</p><p>3. I'm going to try to reference a song for every chapter but unfortunately this chapter got away from me when I realized i need to make this chapter longer so the story can proceed a touch faster. From here on out keep a eye out for that.  I would also love to hear other songs y'all were listening to while reading in the comments. :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The New Game Plan</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey everyone!</p><p>Just wanted to do a quick note to thank the people who gave me kudos and comments. </p><p>Everytime I get a email saying I got something for the story, I get really excited and keep them in a folder like little trophies.</p><p>I would also like to apologize to anyone who noticed that the 2nd chapter had a name instead of Y/n. I have gone back and edited it the way it should be. For any reason you decided to not read chapter 2 cause of the problem, it should be fine now.</p><p>Thank you, and enjoy this chapter.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>August 25th.2017</p><p> </p><p>You and Maya sit on the bench outside of the hotel, while Sam looked at flowers, and James stood just looking bored.  Your attention suddenly goes to the entrance when you spot a familiar Grand Prix pulling up in front of you. Everyone starts heading to the door of the car to get in, again leaving you to sit in the front.</p><p>“Hey, sorry I’m late, I needed to talk to my sister about something.” </p><p>Maya looks at her watch, “It’s one thirty-two.”</p><p>You look back at Maya and smile and look back at Clyde, “Preparing your sister for a uncomfortable chat with Jesse Jr.?” you smile and chuckle at the idea that you have no idea what this Jesse Jr. or Clyde’s sister looks like but  you feel bad for both having to be part of most likely the most awkward conversation of their lives.</p><p>Clyde looks at you confused at first, “Huh…Oh yeah, yep just as suspected, very angry that I pawned her off like that, but she understands at the same time. By the time I got back to her place she already heard about the mysterious four people who came to Duck Tape.</p><p>James leans forward in his seat, “So we are already famous, eh?” Clyde chuckles and looks in his rearview mirror to look behind.</p><p>“Unfortunately, you’re in a small town where if anything goes on regardless of the time, it’s passing like wildfire.” He takes his eyes off the rearview mirror and back on the road. “Don’t worry, someone will do something stupid or careless and y’all will be yesterdays news.”</p><p>James leans back in his seat. “Yeah leaving will also do that too.” Clyde does a quick glance up at the rearview mirror before putting his eyes back on the road.</p><p>As you already have your eyes on Clyde, you glance down at that big hand of his on the gear shift and notice a horseshoe ring on his finger. You’re not sure why you didn’t notice it before when you shook his hand, well you kinda already knew why. Why did that hand distract you so much? “What’s the ring about?” You twist your head to get a better view. “You a crazy horse guy or something?”</p><p>Clyde does a quick glance at you like you just ask him a personal question or something, unless it was, like the person who gave it to him like a significant other. “I actually believe in luck and signs for luck.” He glances back at you again. “Like the horseshoe.”<br/>
You twist your head to get another look at it and say nothing. You’re afraid to ask, what if you don’t like the answer… better yet why do you care so much about what the answer is, you don’t care.</p><p>“My Ma got it for me on the last Christmas we had with her before she passed.” He said not looking at you at first, then glancing to look in your direction and looking away again, “You wanted to know who gave it to me?” looking straight ahead. “That’s usually the next question brought to my attention.”</p><p> </p><p>“Clyde I’m so Sorry, I didn’t mean to bring up a sore subject.” You really did feel guilty for prying in something that felt private, something he definitely did not need to tell a stranger he was never going to see again after today.</p><p>“It’s ok Y/n, actually it’s not a sore subject, well the ring I mean. I went into my second tour with it and it brought me luck until…”</p><p>You suddenly without thinking about it you traced your eyes down to the other hand, it all started to make sense now, the demeanor, the tall stance, the walk and now the left hand. You look up to Clyde and notice he has been looking at you the whole time. When you both make eye contact is when he looks away towards the road again.</p><p> </p><p>“Until What?” a tiny voice is heard in the back. You look behind and give Sam a shut up glare. You somehow gain the courage to look back at Clyde, “I’m sorry that happened, it was very brave of you to fight for us when many didn’t.” he gives you a soft smile that’s says thank you without having to say it out loud.</p><p>A few minutes pass with no one really knowing what else to say, but the silence is quickly cut with Clyde, “Ok Earls Auto Shop, and look who seems more alert than last night.” You look out the windshield to see Earl working on some cars, one of them the Mustang.</p><p>“Please tell me one of those are y’alls.” You smile at Clyde and point to the mustang. “Woah is that a 1969 Ford Mustang, it’s a dang shame y’all are leaving today, my sister would go crazy if she laid eyes on that.</p><p>You laugh, “Maybe soften the blow of having to talk to Casanova Jesse Jr. I’m sure.”</p><p>“Um...yep, it would of.” As he is still looking at the car. You start to open the door and notice Clyde’s trance of the car was broken by the squeak of the door; you see him immediately get out of his seat to go open your door wider before you could make another move. You crawl out from the front seat and shortly your friends come from the back. All three start to head towards Earl, leaving you with Clyde.</p><p>“Hey, thanks for all your help, I’m not sure what we would have done if we didn’t find your place of business and met you.”<br/>
Clyde gives a sly smile, “Oh, I’m sure you would have found someone else to tell about your little pickle.”  He smiles up at you. “Sorry it’s kinda my job to notice when a lady is trying to flirt to get free drinks, it was out of habit to pick up on it.” You smile back.</p><p>“Well hate to tell you this but we did get free drinks that night, you’ve been outsmarted again.” Clyde Laughs and sarcastically shakes his fist up in the air, before wiping the smile off his face and looking back at you. “It was no problem by the way, helping y’all out.” Your just left with nothing to say but looking at each other before Clyde looks away and breaks the silence, “What are the chances of you and your friends coming back to our Podunk town?”</p><p>You continue to look at him, “Maybe after we get settled in New York we can come back to really check out what Madison, West Virginia has for us.” You look down knowing what you were telling him was mostly not true but at that moment you wanted to believe it and you think for some reason Clyde wanted to as well.</p><p>Clyde lifts his head, “Well good luck in New York, I hope you find what you’re looking for.” Giving him a confused look.</p><p>“What makes you think I’m looking for something?” tilting your head.</p><p>Clyde just smiles, “Just a guess.” You continue to look at each other until you hear Maya in the distance yelling for you to get your butt over there. You look over where your friends are and then back at Clyde, “Guess I better go, goodbye Clyde Logan.”</p><p>He smiles, “It was a Pleasure meeting you Y/n.”</p><p>You start to walk away when you decided to quickly glance behind you, you see Clyde going back to his side of the car, get in and just as he’s about to turn on the engine he glances one more time your way. You raise your hand up and you can see he does the same, before turning on his engine and driving away.</p><p>You start heading in the direction to your friends who is already talking to Earl about the car.</p><p>“So, what’s the damage.” You say lightly to Earl. You finally getting a better glance at Earl since this time around he’s upright and all. Long beard and very green eyes popping out with all that long hair around them.</p><p>“Well I was Just about to tell your friends, but they wanted to wait for you to stop flirting…. their words not mine.” Looking almost uncomfortable just mentioning it.</p><p>You sigh loudly “Yeah I know.”</p><p>“Well I got good news and bad news…”<br/>
“Oh, come on, the last time someone said that, they were pointing to you, our only hope plastered on beer.” James say almost exhausted.</p><p>“Which by the way I’m fine thank you so kindly for asking, Tylenol works wonders.” </p><p>“I’m sure it does, good news, bad news, go.” Maya say hurriedly just wanting to rip this off like a Band-Aid. Earl sighs deeply before going into it.</p><p>“Good news, it’s an easy fix, you just need a valve replaced and it’s good as new.” Earl waits for a reaction from the group or a comment but gets nothing but stares and arms crossed. “Bad news, we don’t carry specialty valves for a classic car all willy nilly, it’s gonna take 7 to 8 business days, not counting today.” Groans and huffs are let out by the group.</p><p>Maya lifts her hand up, “Great, we have to stay in that stupid fucking cockroach infested hotel that we can’t afford.” Earl visibly winces. You all see it and slowly turn back to Earl.</p><p>“Hey Earl, something else on your mind?” At this point your all staring at him.</p><p>“Well I guess that’s part 2 of the bad news, the valve being special for a classic car is usually for people restoring cars like these and fully knowing they gonna be putting money into the project…” Oh Shit.</p><p>You repeat the same phase as before but not with lightness but a heavy, sinking feeling down to your stomach. “What’s the damage?” he looks at you and looks down. </p><p>“$1,041.48.” Everyone’s mouth drops and in perfect unison</p><p>“WHAT!”</p><p>“That’s ridiculous.”</p><p>“I think I’m gonna be sick.”</p><p>“Maya, please don’t, you know I’m not good with people throwing up.”</p><p>Knowing no one is good right now, for different reasons, you try to remain calm and get some answers from Earl. “Ok, so break this down for me, we are unable to pay for this and need to know where maybe we can cut cost.”</p><p>Earl looks at you, wanting to not look at Maya who was definitely starting to look green. “I don’t think I can cut anymore then I have already. The valve, not including shipping and handling was $988.89, then because I’m a small business owner I have to add repair and maintenance, and even with that I gave you the friends and family discount on the count of Clyde telling me to.” Earl shrugs his shoulders. “I think y’all are stuck with this price, I’m sorry.”</p><p>Maya in some way gains the ability to talk again. “I would like to talk to your manager.”</p><p>Earl looks at her, “Darling my name is literally on the sign, I’m the CEO, CFO, COO, hells bells I’m goddamn HR.” Maya Looks defeated.</p><p>“What are we gonna do, we can barely afford to have our faces and ear canals used as a cockroach party.” Earl holds up a finger to get everyone’s attention.</p><p>“I know y’all want to get out of here and all, but people around these parts are really friendly like and would be willing to help a stranger with money issues, provide that they put a little sweat and hard work into it.”</p><p>James leans into the group and whispers, “Is he selling us into prostitution?” </p><p>Earl looks at James in shock and confusion. “No! God no. That’s not what I meant…. Jesus.” Earl continues to have a look of shock. “I meant you can go around businesses and get jobs around town to save for the car.”  </p><p>Suddenly Everyone gives a look like they just had an epiphany, “ohhhhh, yeah that makes more sense.”</p><p>Earl looks at the group with skepticism, then sighs, “I also can loan you a truck to get around town in, I’ll just load up your luggage into the truck and y’all talk amongst yourselves.” Earl slowly turns away and heads back to the Mustang.</p><p>The group all look at each other, Maya is the one to finally say what everyone is thinking but to afraid to say out loud. “So, wait we are actually thinking about doing this, we sought out all our options.”</p><p>You keep your voice down to the group so to not let Earl hear what your saying, “We can’t do anything that your thinking about, not with putting a gigantic target on our backs. It’s surprising we got this far with this car.” You glare at James. </p><p>James puts a look of appall on his face. “Wow, so this is gonna come back to me, huh?”</p><p>In unison, you, Maya and Sam say, “Yes.”</p><p>Sam shakes her head, “Look whatever, it’s in the past, I personally like the idea of us working for it then just stealing it anyway.”</p><p>James looks worried, “where the hell do we start, we are in a town we don’t know jack shit about.”</p><p>Maya gets a shit eating grin on her face and slowly looks at you. “You think your bartender would be willing to help some more?” as she arches her eyebrows at you.</p><p>Rolling your eyes, “Clyde. I’m sure he be willing to let us know where a couple places we can look into.”<br/>
After all coming to an agreement, the group start heading back towards Earl, who was putting the last bit of luggage in the truck bed. “All ready to go?” You weren’t sure if it was supposed to be a statement of confidence or a question of uncertainty. All you knew is that you had faith in your friends, whatever the situation they got themselves into, as long as they were together there was nothing they couldn’t handle.</p><p>“Yep, all ready to go.” You look and smile at Earl but nervous on what you were going to ask next from him. “Thanks for all your help Earl but I do have one more favor to ask of you.” Earl glances and smirks at you like he knew what you were gonna ask but choose to play oblivious.</p><p>“Shoot.”</p><p>“We need directions back to the Duck Tape; Hoping Clyde’s niceness hasn’t worn thin already.”</p><p>Earl’s smirk gets a bit bigger, “Oh I think for you… it may never run out.” He quickly looks down and start sputtering directions back towards Duck Tape. </p><p>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p>You make it to Duck Tape with minimal issues other than a few wrong turns here and there and the aggressive backseat driving of James and Maya. Looking around the parking lot in hopes that it wasn’t too early for Clyde to be at work, but to your relief you manage to spot the dark green Grand Prix at the side of the building.</p><p>“Ok, Game Plan, what are we doing.” Maya say with an enthusiastic voice like she trying to hype up the group. You just look at her in confusion.</p><p>“We go in there, tell Clyde what happen and ask if he knows anyone in town who is hiring…That’s it…. What did you think was going to happen, some elaborate Ocean’s Eleven plan?”</p><p>“Wait so we are actually going legitimate with this…. No stealing, like at all?” Maya looks confused like you just told her Bigfoot was real and had evidence, not that for the first time ever in your life you were going to resolve an issue without criminal intent.</p><p>“Yes, no stealing whatsoever, we do this by the book, we get the money we need, and head to New York without our names on a warrant. We all clear?”</p><p>Sam Smiles “Crystal.”</p><p>James Frowns,” It would be faster, but yes.”</p><p>Maya stares you down, but you don’t relent and stare her right back. Finally, Maya huffs and says, “Yeah ok, no stealing.”<br/>
You all get out of the truck and one by one head to the familiar door to the bar, almost like weird déjà vu. When you open the door, you notice two customers and of course Clyde behind the bar.</p><p>“Evening.” You see that Clyde has not looked up yet from wiping down a portion of the bar. He must have just heard the door open, even with a Patsy Cline Song starting up as soon as the group entered and started walking closer to the bar.</p><p>I fall to pieces<br/>
Each time I see you again<br/>
I fall to pieces<br/>
How can I be just your friend?</p><p>Finally, Clyde looks up and notices all of you and smiles, “Well look what the cat dragged in, guessing the problem wasn’t a day fix?”</p><p>You want me to act like we've never kissed<br/>
You want me to forget (to forget)<br/>
Pretend we've never met (never met)</p><p>You look at him and smile back, His smile felt contagious. You begin to catch him up on everything that Earl informed you on about the car and end it on the emphasis on the dreaded final price. “$1,041.48!”</p><p> </p><p> And I've tried and I've tried<br/>
But I haven't yet<br/>
You walk by and I fall to pieces<br/>
I fall to pieces<br/>
Each time someone speaks your name (speaks your name)<br/>
I fall to pieces<br/>
Time only adds to the flame</p><p>Clyde whistles, “That’s a pretty penny, whatcha gonna do now?” You glance at your friends to see if any of them wanted to take the reins but of course your left in silence and looking anywhere but at your eyes. You sigh. </p><p>“Well… hoping you got a little generosity left and could maybe let us know where we could go to ask for a job.” Clyde just stands there with an unintelligible look. When you felt like he was about to tell you that he could not help anymore, your thoughts were quickly cut when you heard Clyde laughing.</p><p>“Yeah Y/n, I think I can squeeze little bit more generosity.”  You give him a smile of appreciation. Maya moves more forward towards the bar.</p><p>“So, who could we try?” She glares at you. You know that Maya is being impatient and most likely antsy since you told her to not do anything that would get any of you in trouble<br/>
</p><p>You tell me to find someone else to love<br/>
Someone who love me too (love me too)<br/>
The way you used to do (used to do)<br/>
But each time I go out with someone new<br/>
You walk by and I fall to pieces<br/>
You walk by and I fall to pieces</p><p>“Well my sister is coming in tonight, maybe you can ask her about a job at the salon.”</p><p>Sam eyes light up, “A job at a salon, Y/n you know how good I am at making small talk.”</p><p>Clyde laughs, “well it won’t be anything with hair, but they always need people to clean in between the appointments.”</p><p>“I can do that, no one else take it, I claim it!” Sam looks at everyone with crazy eyes and a stance like if a single syllable came out of anyone’s mouth, she would slap it away.</p><p> </p><p>You put your hands up and stifle a laugh, “Ok everyone, Sam takes that one.” You look back at Clyde “Anything else?”</p><p>“Well, the only thing I can think of right now would be to go talk to Clara at Pearl’s Diner.” Maya and you get excited, until your brain goes into overdrive ‘why did he say Clara’s name like that?’ “Unfortunately, Clara was always telling me stories about how people would not show up to their shift or quit right there in front of the customers, so they always looking for people to quickly fill the spot.” There’s that damn name again, now he makes it sound like they are closer than a waitress and customer.</p><p>Maya smiles, “That’s actually perfect, me and Y/n both have mostly serving and bartending experience…hopefully they will just take pity on you.” Maya looks at James with a smug face. </p><p>“I have serving experience too, the only reason your ahead of me, is on the count of you two showing off your tits and distracting the manager at that restaurant in Nashville.”</p><p>“It was a Hooters; your chances were already slim.” Rolling her eyes. You hear the banter back and forth between James and Maya but wasn’t actually hearing what they were saying. Clara seems like a hot girl name. Clara seems like a girl who bullies you in elementary school. Clara seems like a girl who wouldn’t work at a Hooters.</p><p>“You got bartending experience?” Hearing Clyde in his low tone broke you out of your thought process but you’re not sure if you heard what he said correctly. All you knew was it definitely was directed towards you; on the count his eyes were looking in your direction.</p><p>You look up at him with a confused face, “I’m sorry?”</p><p>He looks at your friends still in a verbal brawl before looking back at you. “She said y’all have bartending experience.” He says in a low voice.</p><p>With your brain still trying to catch up, you continue to look confused at him. “Uh…Yeah, why you ask….” It’s then that the brain decides to let you on to what’s happening. “Oh my god, are you thinking of hiring us here?!”</p><p>He quickly shushes you, “Yeah maybe, the only problem is I would only be able to hire one of y’all. This isn’t a big bar with a lot of traffic coming through, to be honest you might be making better money at the diner.” Clyde looks down.</p><p>Your eyes widen “But a job, is a job.” You see Clyde look up and have an almost relieved look on his face.</p><p>“That’s great, I’ll be honest, it would be nice to have an extra pair of hands for opening and closing tasks, which one of y’all got the most experience?”</p><p>Your eyes are still wide, and your mouth is open like your about to say the answer was by far Maya, but nothing comes out. Instead you stand there and pretend to think, as Clyde just looks on with his honey glazed eyes, are they hazel or brown? You couldn’t figure it out. Shit you should probably say something, the correct answer.</p><p>“Me. I’m been doing it longer, got promoted before she did, she spent months still being a server while I had bartending shifts, she followed shortly behind but technically...it’s me.” </p><p>That was not it. You just lied to Clyde…again.</p><p>“That’s great, you think you could handle me as a boss?”  A slick sly smile creeped up on his face. You think your just looking at him until you get caught off guard by your own shrill discomfort laugh. You immediately stop laughing, which in turn just made you look even more crazy looking.</p><p>“Uhhhh…. everything ok over here?” you look over to see James and Maya both have their bodies still pointed at each other but both heads turned at you in confusion.</p><p>“Yep sorry, Clyde just told the funniest joke.” You look at the both of them before looking a Clyde with a distressed look.</p><p>“Uh, yeah… Glad you like that one Y/n.” Clyde says trying to sound smooth but more disorienting then anything.</p><p>Just as Clyde says that, your eyes go to the front door quickly being opened, hearing the door slam into the wall on the other side. A woman with a purple meshed top and white tank top underneath paired with a matching short purple skirt. She starts making her way to the front of the bar.</p><p>“Ok, why did you need me to come down here again, you better give me free drinks for this.”<br/>
Clyde quickly glances up at you and then back at the woman before glancing down again. The woman slowly turns her head and looks at you with a precautious look on her face.</p><p>“This is one of em?”</p><p>Clyde keeps looking down. “Uhh…Yep, that’s….”</p><p>“Y/n, nice to meet you, these are my friends Maya, James, and over there….” You point to the table where Sam is sitting silently. “Sam, and you are?” Please don’t say Clara.</p><p>The woman hops off the stool and wipes down her skirt before extending her hand out. “I’m Mellie, Clyde’s sister and protector of all things shitty.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Apologize to anyone name Clara, I swear i don't have a beef with all Claras. All original names were chosen through a name generator.</p><p>The song I picked for this chapter is Patsy Cline- I Fall to Pieces </p><p>Random Fun Fact- When i did the research for this story by watching Logan Lucky on Amazon Prime Video. they had a side bar with actors, fun facts and songs that was being played in the scene.  Ended up finding out that Patsy Cline is a favorite to be played at Duck Tape. like every time there was a scene in the bar, a Patsy Cline song was being played. (It's canon now, Clyde Logan loves Patsy Cline.)</p><p>Might not be the last Patsy Cline Song I use for my chapters. ;)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Suspicious Intentions</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey thanks again for the kudos and comments, I appreciate that y'all are enjoying the story so much.</p><p>Sorry about this being a shorter and bit of a filler chapter, i'll be honest i kinda had a hard time writing this one and not wanting to constantly keep throwing it all out. Thankfully the final edit is more to my liking.</p><p>Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Oh, it’s Mellie I think this might be the first time hearing you name, before that you were just Clyde’s sister.” You smile and laugh uncomfortably as you extend your hand to shake it. The handshake was limp at best like she really didn’t want to impress you with a firm one. She was also still giving you that look the whole time you were shaking. Was it possible that she could smell the bullshit on you, do criminals smell different from normal, functioning people? </p><p>She does a short laugh, “Well guess you know my name now, Clyde should have informed you of me a little bit better since he got me involved.”</p><p>Now it was making sense, she was pissed at all of you for her being the pawn in the potential towing of the Mustang. No wonder this girl disliked us so much, you couldn’t help but understand though where she was coming from, sometimes you didn’t enjoy your friends telling you who to hit on for their benefit as well.</p><p>“Our Mustang thanks you for the sacrifice of having to pretend with Jesse Jr. as well.”  You giggle hoping she would pick up on the lighthearted banter. It did not. Instead the intense look was replaced with a confused one. She was about to say something to you before Clyde was heard from behind the bar.</p><p>“Anybody want a beer, it’s on the house for your troubles.” He quickly brings up four bottles of beer from under the bar. Your friends quickly take the free beer, Maya takes out her lighter and uses it to open her beer then takes James and does the same. Sam being on your side, you take her beer and place it on your forearm and twist it open. Then you grab the other beer and use your forearm again before everyone clinks them together and takes a chug.</p><p>“Uh, I could have opened those for you with an actual opener, but neat tricks.” Clyde and Mellie are both staring at the group with confusion. Mellie recovers and smiles at the group.</p><p>“I’m sorry, will y’all excuse us, I need to talk to my brother alone.” All of you nod your head and go to the table Sam was sitting at before.</p><p>When you are all sitting a few feet away from them you notice that Clyde is looking at Mellie with an angered expression and a lot of hand motions coming from both of them. “Well, I think we made a great first impression.” Maya says as she leans in her chair with her feet on the table and sipping the beer.</p><p>You look at her and roll your eyes, “I wouldn’t blame her; she was used to help us, and we are a bunch of random people she doesn’t know.”</p><p>“I was trying to play it cool since she might be my new boss, but somehow you guys have managed to fuck it up for me already.” Sam leans in as she whisper screams at the group.</p><p>Maya manages to give Sam a sarcastic smile, “Relax, your precious job is not on the line…yet.” Maya then looks over to where Clyde and Mellie are still in what looks like a very intense conversation. “Looks like your boy is vouching for us.”</p><p>You give Maya a look of frustration that once again you are having to say this to her. “He’s not my boy, we just get each other, I don’t see any of you trying to have a conversation with him.”</p><p>“Well honey, that’s because it’s your job.” James says with the emphasis of job at the end. He leans in and whispers so no one else can hear but the group, “I get the cars, Maya is the money and brawn, Sam is the face of innocence…”</p><p>“Don’t forget keys too” she says louder than James would hope for, since he quickly shushes her and looks back at you slowly and continues.</p><p>“You’re the mouth and body… why would we take that from you.” He says with a tsk at the end and leaning back in his chair. Just as you were about to say something back, everyone’s attention quickly went back to Clyde and Mellie when you heard Clyde saying something louder to Mellie for the first time.</p><p>“Talk to them more with less attitude, please.” </p><p>“Fine, fine!” Mellie quickly shouts back at Clyde. With her back still turned from the group you see her trying to gain some composure breathing in and out once before turning around to face you. Everyone abruptly tries to look anywhere but their direction, obviously not subtly because you hear the sound of Mellie sighing loudly before you hear the clops of her platforms coming closer to your table.</p><p>“According to my brother, I passed off judgement a little too fast, how bout y’all tell me about this little adventure you’ve had so far.” She says with a smile on her face. Not sure if anyone picked up on it, you notice the smile that was planted on her face was a forced one. As minutes go by, you and the group have told the story of their misfortune with of course the missing elements that you all agreed would just stay with the group. You finally get to the bit of looking for jobs in town.</p><p>“We’re going to try the diner to see if we can get a job there, Sam actually was wondering about a job at the salon though.” Maya said with a confident smile. Mellie’s eyes widen and looked at Sam.</p><p>“Oh yeah, Any experience?”</p><p>Sam eyes lit up, “I’m good at making small talk.”</p><p>Mellie giggles, “Well you definitely need that, how about also using a broom and dustpan, I need someone to clean and sanitize between clients?”</p><p>“I can do that; do I have a job?” Sam is trying to suppress her excitement but finds herself not doing a good job.</p><p>“Yeah, sure, eventually I might also try to train you to answer phones and schedule appointments, so our stylist doesn’t have to stop what they are doing every time.”</p><p>Sam is now practically bouncing in her seat with excitement, she was now not trying to hide it.<br/>“Oh my gosh thanks I won’t let you down.”</p><p>Maya laughs at Sam, “Well congrats, the first of us to get a job.”</p><p>“Well that’s not correct, I heard Clyde offered you a job here?” Mellie looked at you with a questioning glance.</p><p>Maya and James both look at Mellie before doing a slow turn towards you. It doesn’t take long for Maya to blurt out a response to the news. “Oh, really now…when did this happened?”</p><p>You look down away from your friends and Mellie, you have nothing to be ashamed of but for some reasons a guilty feeling creeps up from the pit of your stomach and begins to form a lump in your throat. “Oh, you know… little bit before Mellie came in, I just thought taking a job here would better your chance of you and James getting the jobs at the diner, according to Clyde the diner is better money.” </p><p>Telling from Maya’s look you know she wants to say something to you, but you also know Maya isn’t going to say shit to you with Mellie around. It just leaves you and her in an awkward stare-off. It isn’t till James intervenes with some snide comment.</p><p>“Well cool, have fun at the job…” Looks around the room really quick, you notice that instead of two customers you notice a third customer must of came in when you were not paying attention. “…Of doing nothing.”</p><p>You know this is not over with either one of them but least for now, you can at least have some peace without the fear of bringing up personal business around someone that you felt like you were still trying to impress or even get to trust you. You looked over to Clyde who had been worryingly looking over at the table as he occasionally tries to look busy. You look away from Clyde and direct your attention back to the table when you see Mellie looking at you. By the time you connected eyes with Mellie with your ‘deer in the headlights’ look you were giving her, you quickly broke out of the trance to look anywhere but her, it was to late you knew you were already the shade of a tomato.</p><p>“Is that cool with you Y/n?” you hear Maya say. You jolt up realizing you have no idea what was being discussed by your friends. When you finally looked up you noticed that everyone’s eyes <br/>were on you now.</p><p>“Yeah, cool sounds good.” You weren’t sure what your agreeing to but whatever it was, it left Maya and James pleased when they looked at each other in agreement and as well as also not having a sassy remark to say to you about your agreement. You were sure you would also find out what exactly it was you agreed on later. Mellie takes you being distracted by Maya’s question as an opportunity to look back at Clyde. They look at each other, saying nothing, like weird sibling powers to talk to each other with their minds. Mellie nods her head at Clyde and turns back around to the table.</p><p>“Ok, so here’s the deal…” Mellie starts out while casually looking at her nails. To all your surprise you were interested at what anything else had to do with Mellie besides the job for Sam. Mellie definitely had everyone’s attention without trying. “I got a client from the salon who likes to do summer trips with her husband and their RV, well technically it’s officially off season for them and they have this real classy like RV just hanging out not being used right now.” She finally looks up from her nails and sees four pair of eyes staring at her, she does a quick smirk before continuing on. “Me and Clyde talked a little bit last night about y’alls surprise visit and the fact he took you to Carols sad excuse of a hotel of all places. We formed a plan just before he picked you up to take you to Earls, just in case it wasn’t a one day thing.” She winks.</p><p>Your all left there in silence trying to figure this out, what was the motive? Was this a trick? How can people be this fucking nice? Maybe Sam was right, maybe they were cannibals. Finally, the silence gets broken by a song starting to play on the jukebox. Everyone except Mellie’s eyes go to the jukebox, the song being played was either a bad omen or crazy coincidence.</p><p>Crazy<br/>I'm crazy for feeling so lonely<br/>I'm crazy<br/>Crazy for feeling so blue</p><p>Everyone slowly look’s back to Mellie who has a smile on her face, this time a true genuine smile on her face. “Y’all still Interested?”</p><p>Maya Laugh uncomfortably, “Do we have any other choice?”</p><p>“What’s the catch, we don’t have money to pay rent.” You say trying to attempt the same level of cool, calm and collected that Mellie was successfully putting out. Mellie smile gets bigger.</p><p>Worry<br/>Why do I let myself worry?<br/>Wondering<br/>What in the world did I do?</p><p>Oh, crazy<br/>For thinking that my love could hold you<br/>I'm crazy for trying<br/>And crazy for crying<br/>And I'm crazy for loving you</p><p> </p><p>“Which is why there is no catch, y’all are trying to get out of here…. New York, right?” You nod. “I mean besides don’t trash the Rv and don’t steal it.”</p><p>In unison Sam and Maya start to fake laugh together and James starts choking on a sip of beer he was drinking. You’re sitting there in silence, wondering if you stopped blinking but respond, “Yeah, you don’t have to worry about that, uh…thank you for your help.” You look over to your friends who all have a concerned look on their faces. “Guess it’s good that we passed your test, would you have even told us about the Rv?” you say with a lighthearted laugh.</p><p>Mellie smile fades. “No, I guess I wouldn’t have.” Her smile comes back but lighter on her face this time. “Guess it is good you passed my test.”</p><p>…I'm crazy for trying<br/>And crazy for crying<br/>And I'm crazy for loving you</p><p>Mellie slams her hands down on the table as she gets up from the chair. “I’m going to head home now, see ya later Clyde.” She raises her voice for Clyde to be able to hear her. Clyde responds with a nod as he is wiping glasses down. “If y’all would like, you can follow me back to the house and I can give you the RV tour.”</p><p>Everyone nods and starts getting up to follow Mellie, you hold back to quickly go talk to Clyde who was still cleaning glasses at the corner of the bar. “You need help tonight?” Clyde chuckles.</p><p>“Nope, not tonight, But I will accept your help tomorrow night, if that’s ok with you.”</p><p>“Yeah, definitely.”</p><p>Clyde smiles, “Well then your training and first shift starts tomorrow then.”</p><p>You look down because you hate to bring it up, but your interest is peaked at the question. “So…”</p><p>“How much you gonna make here?” You look down and nod.</p><p>“…seven an hour?... I know it ain’t much…”</p><p>“No, it’s great, thank you. Again.” He smiles and nods. You hear Maya trying to get your attention from the front of the door to come along. As you start to head to the door walking<br/>backwards, you continue to look at Clyde. “I’m about to make your life %100 easier Clyde Logan, just you watch.” You finally turn around towards door and just as you walk out you hear Clyde laugh and mumble something to himself.</p><p>----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p>You follow Mellie in her very bright red and very fast car. You manage somehow to keep up with her but still not sure how she can always go that fast without a lot of speeding tickets to her name. The anxiety you were feeling subsides when you see the quaint little house with a porch, navy blue shutters and a red door.</p><p>“Holy shit look at that thing.” You hear James exclaim from the other side of the bench seat. You see what caught his eye and see a blue and silver behemoth further in Mellie’s driveway. Mellie parks at the very front of her house while you park the truck right behind the Rv. As everyone gets out you see Mellie waiting near the entrance of it.</p><p>“So obviously this is it.” She opens the door for the group and everyone in single file goes in. The Rv looks nice and clean with white and tan interior and marble counter tops. Everyone was in awe till they notice the nice king-sized bed at the end of the hall. Mellie notices everyone looking at it, she does a short laugh. “So as y’all see, there is the king size bed that fits only 2 and this…” as she turns around to a bunk bed above the driver and passenger seat “Is a queen- sized bunk that can fit the other 2… however you would like to figure that out.”</p><p>Before Mellie can continue the group again instinctively forms a semi-circle and starts a game of rock paper scissors.  The first one out is Sam, then shortly after a couple of rematches James is the next one.</p><p>“Son of a bitch.!” Maya and you look at each other and give each other a congratulatory high five to each other.</p><p>“James you said I needed to change my game boo boo.” Maya says to James’s snidely and with a boisterous laugh at the end. All James does is roll his eyes.</p><p>As everyone eventually settles down, Mellie continues her tour showing the group that each bed had their own tv, the bathroom actually had a shower in it and the Rv came stocked with essentials and food that they would ever need.</p><p>“I’ll let y’all get settled now, but if you find yourself looking for anything else, don’t be a stranger and knock on my door, I’m sure either me or Clyde can help y’all out.” Everyone nods their head as they watch Mellie head back towards the door, she suddenly turns around to look at Sam. “See you bright and early at nine, right?” Sam enthusiastically nods her head which Makes Mellie smile before exiting out the door.</p><p>James woos very loudly, “No more cockroach dances on our face, I can actually do a full ‘before bedtime’ routine, we hit the jackpot with these bumpkins.” Maya and James laugh.</p><p>“Hey, maybe not call the people helping us mean names, they gave us jobs and this, lets show a little respect.” Sam says angrily with a frown on her face.</p><p>“Ok but let’s not also forget that girl was super passive aggressive with us and almost didn’t tell us about a free RV, kay.” James says back with a sarcastic smile on his face towards Sam.</p><p>“Also, speaking of giving us jobs, Y/n…” Oh shit, you knew it was bound to happen, but you still found yourself not ready yet for this conversation. “You never went into much detail about how you were able to snag a bartending job?” Maya is tilting her head for effect, which is working on you cause it just ended up making you more nervous.</p><p> </p><p>“He offered the job when he heard you mention bartending experience, said he could only hire one of us.”</p><p>Maya Squints her eyes at you, “It never came up about who had the most experience?”</p><p>You smile, “Well it’s not like it’s a crazy difference.”</p><p>“By three months though.” She says crossing her arms now along with the skeptical look she is giving you.</p><p>You sigh trying to throw her off, “It’s a barback gig with shitty pay, this is beyond you, but if it means so much to you, I’m sure you can still take it.” Hoping she doesn’t call you on your bluff right now. You and Maya have a stare off before you hear her heavily sigh.</p><p>“Guess you’re right, but if for any reason he wants to add another person you let me know Asap.” She says as she points her finger and wiggles it in your direction.</p><p>James thankfully interrupts the conversation from continuing as he peaks his head behind the bathroom door with a green paste on his face. Guess you and Maya were so busy verbally dueling you didn’t notice James already starting his end of the night routine. “Their weird though, right…I’m not the only one getting a vibe from them?”</p><p>“It is strange that they live together, I love my siblings but not enough to feel desperate enough to live with them.” Sam says while trying to find a way to climb up the bunk.</p><p>“Well he is a…” you start to say it but stop yourself, you’re not sure if that’s the correct way to say it.</p><p>Maya never being into to PC politics “He’s got one arm….” You roll your eyes at her.<br/>“Yes, he’s a amputee and probably needs extra help with certain tasks.”</p><p>Finally, on the bunk you see Sam with her legs crossed, “You think he has to take off the arm to shower, does those rust or get creaky?”</p><p>Your starting to get flustered at the idea of Clyde in the shower you abruptly try to end this conversation. “I don’t know Sam; we can all just agree to be very careful around the Logan’s until we know more about them. Everyone agree?”</p><p>Sam is now trying to figure out a way to gently get down from the bunk bed, “Understood.”</p><p>James’s voice is echoed from the bathroom and the water running, “Whatever, I don’t care.”</p><p>Last but not least you direct your attention to Maya, she is smiling and looking straight at you, “I don’t think I’m going to be the one with the problem.” she says quietly that only you can hear it. You Look at her with an annoyed look.</p><p>“Sam, help me and Maya get the shit from the trunk… we all have a busy day tomorrow.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The song used in this chapter was yet another Patsy Cline song called Crazy. It's probably one of her more popular songs, i'm pretty sure you've heard it somewhere on a tv show or movie but if not sure...</p><p>you should definitely give it a listen - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbnrdCS57d0</p><p>I found myself keeping a pretty regular schedule of posting a new chapter every Monday and Thursday night, so anyone who is interested in knowing when to check back up.</p><p>See ya on Monday!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Coffee with side of fantasies</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey everyone!</p>
<p>This chapter does have a bit more Sexual discussion in it than any of the chapters before, (not enough to feel like im still following the M rating guidelines) but thought i just give a warning to people who may not enjoy that.</p>
<p>When Clyde ask Y/n about the first night in the Rv is where you should skip, and then its' safe after the break where The group goes to the diner.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for the kudos.</p>
<p>Enjoy!</p>
<p>----------------------------------------------</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>August 26th, 2017<br/>(Still in Madison…)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Waking up in the morning in the nice warm memory foam bed that could actually been the best sleep you’ve had in a real long time. You stretch and hear voices coming from the other room. When you head out, you see James and Maya sitting at the dining table. Maya notices you first and raise’s her hand animatedly. “Good morning sleeping buddy how was your slumber in the… Nice. Comfy. King size bed.” As she says those last words smirking in James direction. You giggle knowing what Maya and James must have been talking about before you came in, you decided to play along.</p>
<p>“Well, sleeping buddy, I had a restful and relaxing night.” You can’t even hold it for very long before you start laughing. James rolls his eyes as you hear him calling you both ‘rude bitches’, which just makes you laugh harder.</p>
<p>“What’s wrong, had a rough night?” It leads him to sigh dramatically.</p>
<p>“You both know sleeping with Sam is the fucking worst, she kicks, and burrito hogs the sheets, not only did you two get the nice bed, but neither of you had to also deal with Sam.”</p>
<p>You grimace, “Oh yeah, she is pretty bad, I swear that girl could be a soccer player in her sleep.”<br/>Maya laughs and James nods in agreement. “Speaking of which, guessing Sam is officially at the salon?” They both nod.</p>
<p>“I felt her get up around 7:30 to go shower and get ready, then a couple hours later I hear her leave and slams the damn door and wakes me up again.” You give him a accusatory look. “Don’t look at me like that, I have every right to complain right now…and we have no damn coffee.” He Says exasperated. You start to look around the kitchen in every cupboard but find nothing.</p>
<p>“Mellie said if we found something we needed to go knock on their door, I’m sure Clyde can help out, least give us something caffeine related.” You hear silence from your friends and look over at them to see why they haven’t made said anything and catch them looking at each other. “What?” Maya stifles a laugh before looking away.</p>
<p>“Nothing.”  You huff and lean your body against the small counter.</p>
<p>“Obviously not nothing, so spit it out.”</p>
<p>Maya exhales and slowly looks up at you with an exhausted look on her face and responds softly, “Nothing.”</p>
<p>You return your body upright and cross you arms, “You know, any one of y’all could have gone over there and did this way before I even got up.” Silence from both of them, they can’t even look at you. You sigh, “You want Coffee or not?” They look back at you and nod slowly. Just before you head towards the door, you make sure to give them the finger and slam the door to really trigger James. </p>
<p>As you head closer to the door, you get more of a sinking feeling in your stomach, why does your body react like this? As much as it was funny to think about all the weird horror movie tropes that could secretly make the Logan’s killers, you honestly don’t think there was a bad bone in either Mellie or Clyde. You wonder to yourself what they both think was the worst thing they’ve done. Finally getting to the red door you see the doorbell on the side but instead decided to knock. If for any reason he was still asleep, you definitely didn’t want to wake him up with something as silly as a caffeine fix. You decide to glance into the side window near the door to see if any movement is coming from inside the house but see none. Just before you cut your losses and turn back towards the Rv, you hear a click and creak come from the door, you turn around to see Clyde in a Bob Seger t-shirt and camo shorts.</p>
<p>“Hey Y/n, sorry It took so long I was putting pants on to look….” You saw him looking up and down at you before quickly going back to your eyes with a shade of red across his face.  “More decent.” Now realizing how you looked, you have a light blue tank top with no bra underneath and matching short shorts. You start to slowly cross your arms to cover your chest. Clyde clears his throat, “Need something?”</p>
<p>“Uh…Yeah, hoping you could lend some coffee.” Clyde perks up before straightening his body.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I actually just made some, come in and I’ll make you a few cups.” Clyde moves to the side and opens the door wider to invite you in. You stand at the doorway for a split second before moving in, as you pass Clyde you get a whiff of what he smells like, Bergamot and Sandalwood. He smells amazing. The door shutting breaks from your haze of creepily smelling him, but the smell comes back as Clyde walks pass you towards the kitchen. As you reach the kitchen you see Clyde already at a cabinet grabbing coffee mugs from the top shelf.</p>
<p>“Just three right, Sam went with Mellie today to the salon.?”</p>
<p>You re-cross your arms to cover your body again, “Yeah, just three thanks.” Clyde then Starts pouring coffee in three cups with owls on them.</p>
<p>“Anyone need anything else in it?” he says not looking at you and his back to you while still pouring the coffee, it seems that even when he’s not a bartender he has the multitasking skills always handy.</p>
<p>“Cream and 2 sugars in one and nothing else on the other two.” You take this time to look at him, really look at him since now you wouldn’t get dirty looks from anyone here. He seems to work out or least do something to keep his body in shape, his calves looked nice, he had no body fat around his abdominal muscles, and the glutes looking pretty firm as well. This makes you visibly raise your eyebrows. Clyde of course turns around then.<br/>“how wa… everything ok?”  now holding a breakfast tray with the three steaming cups on it. Making you immediately jump at the sudden boom of his voice.</p>
<p>“Oh, umm, nothing, I just was thinking about all the stuff I needed to do, you were saying something?”</p>
<p>Clyde gives a look of confusion before shaking it off and continuing with his question, “I was gonna ask how y’alls first night in the Rv went, by the time I got home, I was told by Mellie that y’all were most likely asleep and not to disturb you.”</p>
<p>“Great, much better than the hotel, no offence to Carol, I just don’t know if she really puts much effort in her hotel like she should.” You half chuckle. Clyde just smiles and looks down. “Worst problem we might have is going to be that King-sized bed and who sleeps with Sam ‘Beckham’ Riley.” Clyde looks confused but you just give him a reassuring look. “She’s a kicker.” Clyde getting it finally give her an O realizing face and laugh at the joke.</p>
<p>“Well if all else fails, three people can fit pretty snug in a king size bed.” You look at him surprised by the very risky answer, that could have blown up in his face, thankfully for him…it was you. You think he can handle a jab back.</p>
<p>“Well Clyde Logan, you sure know a lot about bed capacity pretty well.” You give him a lighthearted smile and poke at his muscular arm. God the muscle in his arms felt nice too.</p>
<p>He smiles and looks down at the breakfast tray he is still holding before looking up at you with those honey suckle eyes. “I’m a big guy, gotta know all about bed capacity” Just as he says the last bit, he keeps his eyes on you while placing the breakfast tray down on the table next to you and had a light smirk on his face. “Anything else?”</p>
<p>What a loaded question, of course there was something else he could do for you. He could lift you up with his one strong arm and carry you to his bedroom and have crazy animalistic sex with you, he could just pin you to the blank wall with one small picture on it and have his way with you there, he could bend you over this dinner table. You don’t remember how long it’s been since you’ve had a nice romp with a guy. It usually was just flirting and then leaving before any attachment can happen, you could lie to your friends about it, but you could not lie to yourself, you were deeply and scarily attracted to Clyde Logan.</p>
<p>“Nope, I think three coffees will do the trick.” You lift the breakfast tray and start to head to the door, “Actually you could get the door for me.” You laugh quietly but don’t dare give Clyde eye contact when he quickly gets in front of you and wafting his scent one more time as an almost torture now, he opens the door wide for you to get through.</p>
<p>“I’ll see ya at the front around two.” He says so casually like we discussed it, did we talk about at the bar and I just was too busy looking at his eyes to hear him say it? He sees the confusion on your face.</p>
<p>“I forgot to mention it to you before you left, shift starts around two and ends at ten, I thought it would be easier if we carpooled there since it seems your friends are all gonna have conflicting schedules, that’s if you want to.” You look back to see him leaning on the door frame with his arms crossed and eyes wincing from the sun being in his eyes. He looks sexy as hell. Was it too late to tell him you needed to fulfill one of your fantasies?</p>
<p>“Nope that works, thanks Clyde see you then.” You never walked faster back to the Rv, you needed to make an excuse to take a shower or get some privacy in the bedroom or something to ease this tension you were starting to feel down below. As you got to the Rv you used the breakfast tray to bang on the door, until Maya came and opened it up for you.</p>
<p>“My hero, mama needs her dirty water.”  She does not even let you get inside before she grabs a coffee cup and heads back towards the small dining table. You finally can put down the tray as James takes his coffee. Hoping maybe you could head to the bedroom without questions being asked, but it’s James and Maya, the nosiest of the friends.</p>
<p>“Where you going doll, don’t you want your coffee?” James not giving eye contact at all but staring at his coffee.</p>
<p>“I’m actually still really sleepy, I think I’m going to go catch a few more z’s, but after your done with the coffee, head to the diner to see about the job today. You say very smoothly, your pretty proud at your lying skills. The plus of it all is you would have the Rv to yourself for a while to take care of a certain misbehaving body part.</p>
<p>“Well you’re still coming with us right, you said you would.” Maya is looking at you with a disbelieving frown.</p>
<p>“When did I say I was coming with you, I don’t need to go anymore, remember.” During these verbal battles with Maya, you usually never won but for the first time your needy vagina was giving you some kind of sly talk superpowers, you felt like you were winning.</p>
<p>Maya huff laughs and smiles at you, “Last night babe, I ask you if it was cool if you still came with us to the diner so you could smooth talk the Clara girl, you said yes to it.”</p>
<p>SHIT that’s what I randomly agreed to, I wasn’t listening and agreed to help them talk to… “You want me to talk to Clara?!” Damn it I thought I was winning but by the way Maya is wolfishly smirking at you, she won again.</p>
<p>“Come on Y/n, don’t act like you’re not interested on what this girl looks like.” Damn it you were kind of were intrigued to know this Clara girl that Clyde seemed to speak so fondly of.</p>
<p>Maya- 346<br/>You- 0</p>
<p>“Yeah ok, I’ll still go with you,” You only can say defeatedly, no alone time for you and Dream Clyde this time.<br/>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Driving up to Pearls Diner was a relief when you finally found it, you realize that no one ask for direction from Mellie or Clyde. For half an hour it was just you driving around trying to find this one place in this damn small town, and of course Maya and James yelling at you once more with their unnecessary two cents. Thank goodness you found the sweet tiny diner off the highway. When you all go in it has a cute 50 style look with blues, pinks and whites. There was a jukebox in the far-right corner and the booths and tables seemed to be in good condition with the same color patterns.</p>
<p>“Just three?” as a waitress who most likely was trying to get you to get seated in her section pulls out some menus without even waiting for your answer.</p>
<p>“Actually no, we need to speak to Clara, she here?” the server looks disappointed but rolls her eyes at you before heading to the back.</p>
<p>You take her leaving with nothing else to say as her way of going to get the mysterious Clara. You’re an adult, you will be mature about this, this girl might give your friends jobs, whatever you do don’t rip out her hair…not like the last time.</p>
<p>James leans into you, “What if she has bigger boobs than you?” Suddenly snapping your head to look in his direction</p>
<p>“Stop.” You say as you look away from him not wanting to show what he is saying has any effect on you.</p>
<p>“Blonde hair, big boobs, Like a real Dolly Parton type. What if she sings?!” James has no idea but he’s very close to getting murdered right here in this diner, you still don’t let it show your affected.</p>
<p>“Please, stop.”</p>
<p>“You can’t sing.”</p>
<p>You quickly turn towards James and just as your about to tell him off, you hear a thick accent voice from behind you. “I was told I was summoned up here, how can I help ya’ll?”</p>
<p>As you turn around you see a short elderly lady with gray hair in her 70’s looking at you, your more confused than ever, she definitely was not what you were expecting.</p>
<p>“Uh, Clyde told us you might be able to help my friends here get a job here in the diner?”</p>
<p>She giggles “That sweet sweet Clyde always helping others before himself, he’s always been like that. Of course I can, but you would still need to fill out an applications, hold on let me go get them from the office.” She walks away and heads to a back room just before you hit the kitchen.<br/>You stand there in confusion and trying to process anything that might have just happened, James Leans into again. “So, she’s definitely a Dolly Parton but not in the direction I thought it was going to go.” All you can do is slowly turn you head towards him, but you really don’t have anything to say yet.</p>
<p>The thick accent comes back towards you “Ya’ll got any experience?” Both James and Maya nod at her, before grabbing the pieces of paper from her hand. “Good, we been looking for people for a while now, after we got one that quit and another who change shift hours on the count the manager didn’t feel right making a pregnant woman work those hours.”</p>
<p>This of course got Maya’s attention, “Those hours?”</p>
<p>“Yeah honey, your signing up for the graveyard shift, Working nine to five. Heh, just realize it’s like that Dolly Parton song but opposite.” She starts giggling to herself “Y’all know that song?”<br/>She Looks across the room towards a waitress who is near the Jukebox. “Darlene, put on B5 for me.”</p>
<p>The waitress nods her head and goes towards the jukebox to put in the number she was told to put in. Sure enough you hear 9 to 5 by Dolly Parton being played.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tumble outta bed and I stumble to the kitchen<br/>Pour myself a cup of ambition<br/>Yawn and stretch and try to come to life<br/>Jump in the shower and the blood starts pumpin'<br/>Out on the street the traffic starts jumpin'<br/>With folks like me on the job from 9 to 5</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She gets visibly excited when she hears the start of the song, “I just love Dolly, Don’t y’all love Dolly?” You all make some nod of affirmation towards Clara. “Back to what we were talking about before I got all kinds of distracted, the graveyard isn’t going to be a problem with y’all?”</p>
<p>“Actually, it is goi…” James starts before you quickly interrupt. </p>
<p>“No it won’t, thanks Clara for your help.” You smile at Clara “Can you excuse us for a minute?” Clara nods</p>
<p>“That’s fine, I’ll give you time to fill those out, just come get me when they are finished.” She smiles before heading in the direction of the counter to talk to the other elderly waitress behind it.</p>
<p>You smile at Clara until she turns around and is far enough not to hear your next words towards Maya and James, before you could say anything, James says the first word.</p>
<p>“I’m not working the shit shift at a place where elderly women go to be forgotten, look at that woman over there.” You see him pointing to the woman Clara was talking to. “That woman for sure chain smokes her problems away.”</p>
<p>Maya Rolls her eyes “Well its this or being stuck here longer, which would you rather prefer?”</p>
<p>James pouts for a bit but eventually gives up by filling out his application along with Maya. After both were done, they got up to start looking for Clara so they can give the applications back.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Workin' 9 to 5, what a way to make a livin'<br/>Barely gettin' by, it's all takin' and no givin'<br/>They just use your mind and you never get the credit<br/>It's enough to drive you crazy if you let it<br/>9 to 5, yeah they got you where they want you<br/>There's a better life, and you dream about it, don't you?<br/>It's a rich man's game no matter what they call it<br/>And you spend your life puttin' money in his wallet</p>
<p>9 to 5, whoa what a way to make a livin'<br/>Barely gettin' by, it's all takin' and no givin'<br/>They just use your mind and they never give you credit<br/>It's enough to drive you crazy if you let it</p>
<p> </p>
<p>When Clara looks over the applications really quick and smiles at Maya and James. “Looks great, you can start tomorrow, oh and tell Clyde I miss him coming around here, I understand the 90 days of not seeing him, but he has no dang excuse now.” She says with a smile still planted on her face. The statement left you confused, why was he not able to come to the diner for a very specific time. Your face must have had a look of confusion and daze that Maya answers for you.</p>
<p>“We will let him know, thanks again Clara for your help.” Thinking none of it Clara just Smiles and says her goodbyes to the group.</p>
<p>As you and the group left the diner and returned to the car, you sat in silence, still in confusion. you knew what 90 days sounded like to you, but Clyde couldn’t have possibly done time, he seemed like a guy you had his life on the pretty straight and narrow. Eventually you were gonna have to ask him about it, but when, you barely knew each other, was it even your business? You just earlier were having fantasies about him and it’s not like you have any right to judge if it is true. Against your better judgment if it was any of your business, you decided right there, you had to know as soon as possible.<br/>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Getting back was easy enough, you feel like you were finally getting the hang of this town. As you park the truck, everyone gets out to head back to the Rv, but you see Clyde hanging out on the porch. He gets up from the seat and walks towards you. </p>
<p>“So, how’d it go?”</p>
<p>You smile as you walk halfway to meet him, “Good the last two have a job, but they are not too happy about it being the graveyard shift.” You shrug your shoulder just as you’re a foot away from him.</p>
<p>Clyde grimace, “Ouch the graveyard shift is pretty bad. It’s were most of their employees quit.”</p>
<p>“A little warning would have been nice.” You say smirking at him.</p>
<p>“Hey, I didn’t know what they were hiring for, I just knew it was a possibility. Think they will live?”</p>
<p>You smile but your heart is fluttering with nerves, do you ask him about the 90 days now or later. “A job is a job; they will survive this horrible tragedy. You huff out a laugh. Clyde joins in before a silence falls on you both, finally Clyde speaks up.</p>
<p>“You Ready, or do you need some time?” you look at him confused. “It’s almost 2.”</p>
<p>“Oh, yeah, yeah just let me get changed into something different.” You were wearing a baggy t-shirt with jeans on, but you wanted to wear something a little more revealing to the bar so the possibility of better tips, yes only the tips. You tell yourself.</p>
<p>“You look fine to me, but I’ll be her when you’re ready.” Clyde says with a smile. He was such a gentleman about everything, he doesn’t act like a guy who has done time. Every guy you met either in jail or you knew had done some time, never acted like Clyde.</p>
<p>You start to head back to the Rv, but you can’t help yourself and look back at Clyde still looking your way. He’s too nice, maybe that’s what it was, he got to creepy with a girl and did some time for it. Would he still be allowed to have his job after something like that, he did say he knew when girls were flirting with him to get free drinks.</p>
<p>“Hey Y/n this bitch has cable in it, come watch some trashy tv with us.” Maya says just as she spots you coming through the door.</p>
<p>“Can’t, have to get ready for my first day of work at the bar.” You start heading towards the back of the bedroom not stopping to look at them. Maya looks at you and follows you in the bedroom.</p>
<p>“You can’t wear that?” looking at you from the doorway with both arms extended to both walls.</p>
<p>“If I want better tips, you know I gotta put something on more skanky.” You laugh trying to make it seem lighthearted.</p>
<p>“Yeah I unfortunately do, wear that halter with those jean shorts, that should do the trick.” She says smiling back at you before it wipes away and she gives you a more serious glance. “Hey, you know I’m just messing with you about the whole Clyde shit right, I know you could not remotely be interested in someone like him.”</p>
<p>You look at her with a fake smile, “Yeah I know, it’s what we do, we give each other a hard time.” Maya gives you a smile before nodding her head and going back to the area where James was watching tv.</p>
<p>You smile fades as she turns away. You know you shouldn’t but for some reason you did, which was stupid for two reasons, one- you were leaving and never seeing him again, you can’t get attached to someone that you know would be temporary, and two- Even if you did like him, there is no way he thinks of you that way. He’s probably looking for a classy lady or maybe he is into older women like Clara. Who knows, it wasn’t your place to judge. You swallow your sadness knowing whatever this was, you officially knew you had to go through it alone, not even your best friend could help you out.</p>
<p>You continue to put on the new clothes… for tips… nothing else, just tips.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Y/n is finally coming to terms on her attraction for Clyde and about to spend a good chunk of time with him... I wonder what will happen. ;)</p>
<p>The song used for this chapter was Dolly Parton 9 to 5, a great song and a really fun movie as well.</p>
<p>There is a whole part in the movie where the 3 ladies get super high and dream of ways to kill their boss. (my favorite is Lily Tomlin's character dreaming about being Snow white and poisoning him while cute woodley creatures help her throw him out a window.)</p>
<p>See you Thursday for another chapter!</p>
<p>-------------------------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p>the song- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbxUSsFXYo4</p>
<p>The scene I was talking about-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bMvQtTAcWU</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Tipping the Stars</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello everyone!</p>
<p>Sorry that this chapter is late and also a bit shorter but due to adulting and again trying to get the wording right so i don't just throw out the whole thing.</p>
<p>To make up for the lateness, this chapter is some quality Clyde x Reader goodness. ;)</p>
<p>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p>Sitting alone in the car for the first time with Clyde without distractions or friends saying snarky things, it felt nice but awkward, for the first time you had to rely on carrying on the conversation by yourself, it wasn’t like they were much help anyway. Say something, anything.</p>
<p>“I met Clara today.” You blurted out. You saw Clyde jump a little from the piercing silence being broken. He looks at you then back to the road, He chuckles.</p>
<p>“Oh yeah, How’s my favorite lady?”</p>
<p>Realizing you could easily talk to him about the mysterious 90 days she accidently let out, but still debating internally if it was any of your business. You decided to avoid it for now.<br/>
“Pissed, you haven’t seen her in a while according to her?” you say with a smile. </p>
<p>“Yeah, I’ve been meaning to go say hi to her and get one of those famous peach cobblers I dream about.” He says with a smirk on his face. “She tends to get antsy if I don’t see her as often.”</p>
<p>You huff and say, “How many times do you go to this diner to have this waitresse begging you to come back? You giggle in hopes he thought you were trying to be lighthearted, but also digging for any info at the same time.</p>
<p>“Well, she’s not any ordinary waitress to me.” Oh, is this it, is this where he actually tells you he’s really into older woman, you knew he was too good to be true. What could he possibly see in a woman in her 70’s… money? What if that’s why he went to jail, he swindles old ladies to fall for him with his soldier story and waits for them to die to claim the money. “She’s technically my godmother.”</p>
<p>Well you felt stupid, it actually wasn’t that deep, it’s fine though, you knew you have always jumped to conclusions, maybe you were even wrong about the 90 day stuff. “Really? How did that happen?’ Stupid question you know how it happens, in your hubris to look like you weren’t accusing him of being a grandma swindler, you manage to put your foot in your mouth. You try to keep a smile so to not let him know you silently wanted to punch yourself in the face.</p>
<p>“Well, she actually is…was my Ma’s best friend, they’ve known each other since the 2nd grade.” He says it looking back and forth towards you and the road. It was super cute the idea that Clyde found it exciting for someone to know each other for that long. You can’t help yourself and smile at it.</p>
<p>“Wow, so you’ve kept in touch with her this whole time, yeah I know the whole small town thing probably helps as well, but it’s also easy to get caught up with your own shit. That’s great you go out of your way to visit with her.”<br/>
He smiles and does a huff laugh, “I wasn’t always great at it, it wasn’t till after I came back…” He said with sadness. You knew what he was talking about it, you didn’t have to ask further on what he meant. “We kind of became a support system for each other… my Ma’s death was really hard for her; she said a piece of her went missing that day.” You don’t know if you should have done it, but it felt like it was the right thing to do instinctively. You reached over from the passenger seat and laid your hand over his that was placed on the gear shift. He quickly glanced at your hand on his and then back on the road. “It also happens to work out cause I knew where she was every Tuesday and Thursday” He chuckles to himself, you giggle along with him but continue to keep your hand on his, he gives you another quick glance and a smile. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Well, she seems to be worried about you, so now I’m gonna get on your case about going and seeing her now as well.” You giggle and Clyde smiles.</p>
<p>“Well you did say you were gonna make my life 100% easier, hoping maybe that would go beyond just work.” He smiles and you can’t help but smile back like it was contagious. Just like that the flutters in your stomach came back and for a little while you decided you were gonna just not fight it and let it happen. Your hand still on his, you felt like there was no rush coming from you or Clyde for that matter.</p>
<p>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p>An hour of training and learning the opening tasks, along with some things you need to keep up with while on the shift, you felt like everything was pretty self-explanatory, you were starting to feel excited to actually start a shift. When it was time to open, to be expected only a few customers came in and wanted beers, nothing to crazy. You look around to see if you saw a tip jar anywhere and found nothing on sight. </p>
<p>“Hey Clyde, where’s your tip jar?” you say looking at him leaning on the bar and your other hand on your hip and a wry smile.</p>
<p>Clyde sighs loudly and then walks over to you, “I don’t have one, I always felt weird taking tips from people that I kinda knew my whole life.” He then takes the opportunity to finally notice your outfit and glances at you in your halter top and jean shorts and smirks, “I’m sure I can find something for you Coyote Ugly.” You roll your eyes.</p>
<p>“Hey, I’m just playing the game, don’t hate the player, hate the game.” He chuckles, and places both hands up in the air, you hear a whirling coming from the mechanical hand.</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t dare hate the player.” He smiles and starts looking under the bar looking for something, he finally stops and kneels under the bar to come back up with a clean pickled egg jar and plops it down in front of you. “That works for you Coyote?”</p>
<p>You can’t help but laugh at this new nickname he has decided to call you, maybe you shouldn’t try too hard with the outfits, but also, it’s all you know that works the best. Yes, good service goes a long way, but one night when you and Maya got into a debate on if good service could be enough for tips. Her and you decided to try it out one night at the bar you use to work at and did an experiment where Maya dressed sexy and you dressed casually to see who could get the best tips at the bar. You were sure that good service would be enough but at the end of the night when it was time for you and Maya to count your tips, Maya had $80 more than you. After that, as much as you hated it you never tried to dress casually if it meant that you were trying to get something done that night, regardless of money or getting something for free.</p>
<p>“Yeah that will work, thanks.” You give him a look up and down. “You know, I’m gonna share all these new tips with you.” Just as you could see Clyde trying to protest to it, you stopped him from talking. “Actually, you are a really nice looking guy, if you just change up your look and did something with this hair, we could have a pretty happening place here.” You try to reach up to his hair but only able to reach the ends. He smiles, but then looks away, making his hair out of your reach again.</p>
<p>“I’m not sure about that, I’m nothing to write home about.” He says bashfully and still not giving you eye contact.  You grab him by his jaw gently and force him to look at you in the eye. “Don’t do that, I’m not sure what you had to deal with before to make you feel that way, but don’t sell yourself short.” You both stay like that for a second, both giving each other soft looks, until you hear a throat being cleared. You release Clyde’s face from your hands, and both look over to the voice.</p>
<p>Earl is standing there not exactly giving you direct eye contact, “Hey Clyde, hey Y/n, Can I get a beer?” quickly Clyde jumps on it and grabs a beer from underneath and pops open the top for him.</p>
<p>“On the tab?” Clyde looks at him with an unreadable look, it seemed to be a mixture of flustered and frustrated.</p>
<p>“Yep, hey didn’t know you were looking for people to help you out?” Finally, after avoiding you, Earl looks in your direction.</p>
<p>“Yeah, Sam got a job with Mellie and the other two were recently hired at Pearls, Y/n here had experience with bartending, so I thought I offer her a job.” Earl looked back and forth between you and Clyde, before letting out a huff and looking around the bar.</p>
<p>“Yeah, how could you keep up without her.”</p>
<p>You smile at Earl knowing full in well what he was trying to assume but looking at Clyde you noticed he was still as puzzled at the remark, saving him the embarrassment. </p>
<p>“I’m one in a million, are you keeping an eye out on our part when we get you that money?” you look at him with a sly smile and a slight head tilt.</p>
<p>“Y’all get that money and you got a part.” He smiles with the same mannerisms as you which is sarcastic and short. Poor Clyde still looking like he is trying to keep up, but your glad this went pass his head.<br/>
Few hours pass and you find yourself still doing pretty good at keeping up when the biggest crowd comes in around 8. After it finally dies down your able to do some dishes and wipe down tables. In the corner of your eye you see the jukebox that you haven’t got a chance to check out. The Jukebox is a Crosley Vinyl jukebox, in pretty nice condition. You look through the songs and see there is up to 70 choices on it with both A and B side options. You look little closer to the songs until you see one of your favorite songs. When you see it you quickly jolt back up to the front of the bar. “Clyde you got a quarter?” Clyde looks up and heads to the register and opens it to grab a quarter to give to you.</p>
<p>Just before he gives you the quarter, “Found a good one?” while placing the quarter in your hand. You start to walk backward back towards where the jukebox was but still facing Clyde with a big smile on your face. “You’re gonna have to wait and see.” You turn around to face the jukebox, put the quarter in and pick the correct number. You start to sway as the beginning melody starts. You start singing with the song.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>You keep saying you got something for me<br/>
Something you call love but confess<br/>
You've been a'messin' where you shouldn't 've been a'messin'<br/>
And now someone else is getting all your best<br/>
Well, these boots are made for walking, and that's just what they'll do<br/>
One of these days these boots are gonna walk all over you</p>
<p> </p>
<p>You turn around finding everyone who was still waiting around for the final call looking at you, including Clyde. Well if you got their attention, might as well see if you can squeeze out a few more tips out of them, you sway, dance and continue to sing along to the song. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>You keep lyin' when you oughta be truthin'<br/>
You keep losing when you oughta not bet<br/>
You keep samin' when you oughta be a'changin'<br/>
What's right is right but you ain't been right yet<br/>
These boots are made for walking, and that's just what they'll do<br/>
One of these days these boots are gonna walk all over you</p>
<p> </p>
<p>After swaying back to the bar, with a few stops to do some hip dips. You see Clyde just shaking his head and smiling as he does liquor inventory. You continue to give him eye contact till he looks up, when he finally does, he laughs and gives you a tsk before going back to the liquor bottles. You like seeing him almost being flustered about this. </p>
<p>“Ok, everyone last call.” Clyde yells so the 3 people in there can hear him.</p>
<p>You intervene, “Also, while paying for your drinks, make sure to show your appreciation to your lovely bartenders.” You smile at Clyde who is smirking but shaking his head. </p>
<p>A customer you’ve never met before comes over to Clyde to pay out his tab. “So, Clyde I see you finally took my advice and got some prettier faces.” He looks at you “What’s your name darling?”</p>
<p>You smile. “Y/n, tell all your friends about us, I’m sure they won’t be disappointed… at our exceptional drinks and cost.” You wink, which gives this guy a jolt of excitement before he takes out his wallet again and puts a five dollar bill in the jar. You give Clyde a quick side glance before going back to singing the last part of the song.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>You keep playing where you shouldn't be playing<br/>
And you keep thinking that you'll never get burnt, hah<br/>
Well, I've just found me a brand new box of matches, yeah<br/>
And what he knows you ain't have time to learn<br/>
These boots are made for walking, and that's just what they'll do<br/>
One of these days these boots are gonna walk all over you<br/>
Are you ready, boots?<br/>
Start walkin'</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Seeing everyone putting in some cash in the very big jar and smirking to yourself that it was another job well done, for the first time you felt like you belonged and fit in with this crowd of people, not just cause you can convince them to give you more money with some dancing and singing but you didn’t know how to explain it but the atmosphere felt lighter. It also might have been the fact that it was your first time not in a car heading to your next temporary home.</p>
<p>“Good song, you pick it out for anything other than cheeky reasons?”  You see Clyde not looking at you but watching the door of the last customer leaving.</p>
<p>“I love that song; it actually brings me comfort.” You say in a very matter of fact tone. Trying to not smile at his jab at you for knowing exactly what you were doing.</p>
<p>“Someone break your heart or something.?” He looks at you now with a smile on his face like he was trying to be lighthearted, but quickly the smile fades when he notices you not reciprocating   a smile back. He knows he must have accidently struck a nerve with you.</p>
<p>“Or something.” Your looking down, you know he didn’t mean to, but it wasn’t something you really felt like sharing, especially since it had something to do with why you ended up in juvie in the first place. You try to redirect. “So, you know you’re getting half of these tips right.?” Just as you start grabbing the money from out of the jar you see Clyde throw his hands up in objection.</p>
<p>“No no no… I had nothing to do with you tricking a bunch of nice folks to give you tips.” You laugh and grab Clyde’s arm.</p>
<p>“Clyde stop, you were the head bartender I can’t let you go without some of this cash. Besides there was no tricking, they award my wonderful barback skills.” You immediately hear Clyde scoff and laugh.</p>
<p>“Well Coyote, you worked hard tonight, please take it at least for tonight, besides you gonna need all the money you can get if you gonna get that part in time.” He is walking away from behind the bar as he is saying this and turning off lights. “By the way, that jukebox has Bluetooth on it, if for any reason the vinyls aren’t getting you the tips that night, let me know, I’ll let you borrow my phone for some music that will.” He looks back at you and smirks. “You ready coyote?”  All you can do is smile and nod as you make you way from behind the bar and join him out the front door. Clyde locks the door and looks over to the bench outside. Earl is passed out and didn’t make it to his car. “Hey Earl, I’m starting to think maybe it’s time for you to pay your tab next time you come in.” Hearing his own name makes him jump up as a snore startle sound comes out of his mouth.</p>
<p>“Hell, Clyde you know I’m good for it…” He gets closer to Clyde who actively moves away from Earls breath. “I got some money coming in.” he elbows Clyde and chortles to himself.</p>
<p>“Ok, ok, do you need help getting to your car or can you do it on your own, you know I can’t have you sleep out here, the sheriff almost fined me that one time he found you on the bench.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, I can make it… fuck the sheriff, he didn’t fine you, but he gave me a ticket, what a bunch of horseshit.” As Earls trips off the small stairs and somehow makes a miraculous full recovery and heads to his truck.</p>
<p>You giggle as you watch Earl, how he didn’t find himself in more trouble was a miracle all on its own. You look up to the sky and for the first time, you notice it. All the stars, it was so visible and bright out here you couldn’t believe it. How could you have not seen it before, just a few days ago you were walking down this road with your friends, guess being in a strange place for the first time did overtake your thoughts that night.</p>
<p>“It’s beautiful ain’t it?” You look over to see Clyde looking at you and smirking. You smile back.</p>
<p>“We’ve been to a lot of places, but none were you could see the stars this bright.” You’re still looking up while twisting and turning to see it all.</p>
<p>“Plus side about being a small town, we don’t produce much light, and the nearest big city is about 2 hours away, we get to benefit from it.” He gets closer to your body before you see his arm extend out to point at the sky. “There is Ursa Major, the big bear… and not too far from it is Ursa Minor, rightfully called the little bear….and right below the little bear is Lyra.” You look at him and realize how close you both actually were to each other; he looks down at you and it feels like your noses are practically touching.</p>
<p>“How do you know so much about this?”</p>
<p>“Unlike my family, I like to read and learn as much as I could, reading about stars and constellations was just one of the things that peaked my interest, I would sneak out after everyone would be sleeping and I would look at the stars, guess you can say it became my comfort.” You smile at him for a second but can’t help but notice that Clyde is looking at your lips, just as your about to lean in and are mere inches from each other.</p>
<p>“Whatcha looking at, there is nothing up there.” Drunk and wobbly Earl says from the distance of the parking lot. Clyde immediately pulls away and looks at Earl with a stern look.</p>
<p>“Nothing Earl, now will you get in your damn truck before I force you into that truck, I really don’t want any fines.” In the distance you hear Earl giving some kind of mumbling answer before opening his car door. Clyde starts moving towards his car. Standing there in silence, did you and Clyde almost kiss, did you read that wrong? You give an audibly grunt before following Clyde to the car. Your mind was still racing of what just happened, was he gonna try again once your both were in the car away from Earl’s vison or was he going to say that it was a huge mistake? You get in and shut the door ready for any scenario that was about to play out. You Look at Clyde. Clyde’s eyes are not looking at you, his eyes are straight ahead as he starts the car. “Wanna listen to some music?” he doesn’t even wait for your response before he puts on loud classic rock music.</p>
<p>Ok so he chose the ignorance is bliss route, that’s fine, it’s probably for the best, you try to tell yourself as you sit there in deafening silence with blaring REO Speedwagon.</p>
<p>Few minutes later you find yourself park back at Mellie’s, the engine is turned off and Clyde gets out of the car, you follow along.</p>
<p>“You did good tonight, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow, right?” you look at him and nod your head. You start heading towards the Rv where you know the group was most likely still up, wanting to ask you how your first day of work went, you hear him clear his throat. “Actually, with you still not having coffee, you can come over tomorrow morning to get some…for you, James and Maya.” You nodded your head again and smiled. “Maybe you could stay for a bit and have coffee with me, if you wanted…”</p>
<p>You quickly interrupt him “That sounds great, the best thing to go with coffee is conversation, and unfortunately I don’t think Maya and James are gonna be up for it with the kind of day that will be ahead them.” For the first time in a while he smiles but is still is not looking at you.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Great…nine work for you?”</p>
<p>“Yeah sounds great. See you tomorrow.” You take the initiative and start back towards the Rv. As you walk you decide to glance back really quick, and when you do, you see those sweet honey soaked eyes that always puts you in a daze looking back at you. You were not sure what it meant or if the stars just put a spell on you both tonight, all you knew is whatever it was…. It excited you.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p>when will they just admit their feelings already!?</p>
<p>What did y'all think? Comment and let me know.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The song used was Nancy Sinatra - These Boots Are Made for Walkin'- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbyAZQ45uww<br/>The older version is %1000 times better than that Jessica Simpson moaning bs cover song. (IMO)</p>
<p>...But you be the judge of that 🤢- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPtfsk4ETjM<br/>(Side note- dear lord she was just leaning that one beer all over the place, thankfully it's glued on so she doesn't have to try.)</p>
<p>Wanna a better idea of the jukebox at Duck tape? - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zp-06qUdmbM</p>
<p>Thanks for reading and hopefully i'll get back on schedule for Monday.  &lt;3 &lt;3 &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. A Stranger Walks into A bar</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>hey everyone!</p>
<p>Super late, I know. I think i've decided for my own sanity and to make sure the story isn't getting ahead of me, i'll start posting once a<br/>week.</p>
<p>Also I forgot to put this in the last chapter notes but deciding on what i think Clyde would smell like came pretty easy since i have this candle that smells amazing. Let's be honest Bergamot and Sandalwood is just a fancy way of saying citrus and woods, which I think sounds like Clyde. imo.</p>
<p>if you got a H-E-B near you here's the candle ;) - https://www.heb.com/product-detail/paddywax-bergamot-sandalwood-scented-wax-candle/2149470</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Other than that heres the new chapter, hope y'all enjoy!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>                                             ----------------------------------------------------------</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>September 1st, 2017- A One Week Jump</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A week has passed, and everything felt like it was going better than you expected, you have managed to stay employed at Duck Tape regardless of your tiny lies and making good money as well. Even with that, you and your gang have hit a couple of snags on the base of getting only money for the part. After two days of working the graveyard shift at Pearls, both Maya and James decided they needed money for alcohol to get them through it. As well as the couple who own the Rv finding out what an Airbnb was and demanding that you pay them for letting the group use it, you all ended up sitting down with them and settling on a 50 a night fee. The last snag you all hit was based on common sense; you brought the attention to the group that they would be able to get out of there soon but with less money than they originally came with. You said it would be a good idea to continue working till the group could even out the funds to be at least equal to what they came there with.  A few hesitant remarks and yelling matches later, you all agree to stay. Upon other things you have also managed to go have coffee with Clyde every day even on the weekends, him and you would talk about everything from star constellations to movies that would be considered a guilty pleasure. You even manage to get him use to the idea of helping him buy some new clothes to wear at the bar.</p>
<p>                       ------------------------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p>That night at the bar seemed like any normal night, with the same faces but enough to keep both you and Clyde busy with something. The tip jar was getting filled and finally you manage to convince Clyde to take his portion of it. You’ve also managed to convince Clyde to play something other than sad Patsy Cline songs, so you both settled for a sad Loretta Lynn song.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There's no reason to look at me that way<br/>
Old memories won't let my love stay<br/>
Your touch just leads me to an open door<br/>
And when he touches me, I can't feel you anymore<br/>
When he touches me, I can't feel you anymore<br/>
He touches me with so much love, I never felt before</p>
<p> </p>
<p>You hear the bell above the front door first and turn around to give the greeting to the new customer. “Evening.” He looks up at you and says nothing as he sits in the middle stool in front of the bar. He is wearing a button down red shirt and tan pants with buzzed hair except the blonde hair that is a little longer on top. Just as you were going to head over to the man, you feel a hand around your arm and Clyde’s eyes firmly on the man in red.</p>
<p>“No worries Y/n, I got him… he’s an old friend.” He doesn’t give you the opportunity to let you answer or ask questions about this guy as he continues his stride towards this new face you’ve never seen before. You get one last look at this guy before Clyde’s wide shoulders block the way. You know you shouldn’t but for some reason you got a weird feeling about this. You haven’t thought about it in a while, but you remember the 90 days that you chose to not ask about and wonder if this guy has anything to do with that. Pretending to wipe the counters you can’t help but listen in to their conversation.</p>
<p>“Evening Joe, what can I get ya?” Clyde remains perfectly still with his hands to his side.</p>
<p>“How bout you just get me a beer, hm.” You no longer can see this guy, but when Clyde leans down to get a beer from below you could finally get another glance of this stranger, he is looking at Clyde with a calm but firm demeanor. In a snap the guy goes from looking at Clyde to glancing in your direction, which makes you quickly look away to not show your very apparent eavesdropping. You’re still looking away in fear that you’ve been caught, but you can still hear the beer being opened for him and a large sigh coming from the stranger. “How’s your brother?”</p>
<p>Brother?! All the times you have sat with Clyde and Mellie, they’ve never once mentioned a brother to you. You wonder if the reason they haven’t mentioned him is because they are estranged with him. Did he have something to do with the 90 days as well?</p>
<p>“Wouldn’t know.”</p>
<p>“Haven’t talk to him?”</p>
<p>“Nope.”</p>
<p>“Not once?”</p>
<p>“Nope.”</p>
<p>You hear a sudden silence from both till a scoff that you guess comes from the man in red broke it. You hear him respond but it’s very soft and mumbling that you can’t make it out. Hearing the beer bottle being slammed on the bar was the next audible thing you could hear before you heard Clyde finally respond to whatever was asked. “Last I heard, he moved south to be closer to his daughter.”</p>
<p>He sniffs and sighs, “How far South?”</p>
<p>“Lynchburg.”</p>
<p>You mind is reeling about all this information that you’re getting about the Logan’s that the Logan’s themselves never seemed to mention, you understood you were still a stranger but you thought that they were becoming friends enough to trust in you a little bit more with information about themselves. Especially since Clyde told you about how close he was to his mom before she passed away, that seems way more personal than a brother with a daughter. Along all that, where the hell was Lynchburg, reminding yourself to look at a map later. While in your own thought you realize that the hushed tones were back, only hearing the phrases: husband and new car lot. After snapping back to reality, you manage to hear some of what the man in red was saying to Clyde in a slightly threatening hushed tone.</p>
<p>“well… if you do…. I like to talk to him.”</p>
<p>“I doubt I will be talking to him.” </p>
<p>More hushed whispers were heard from the man in red and this time you were not able to catch a single word of it, whatever they were talking about, this guy made sure it was between him and Clyde.</p>
<p>You hear the whirling of Clyde’s mechanical arm, “On the house.”</p>
<p>When you finally got the courage to look up from the counter to see what was happening, your eyes were suddenly met by the man’s intense blue eyes looking at you as he was walking towards the door, “Goodnight darling.” He slams his hands on the door and pushes it forward and out of sight in a blink of an eye.</p>
<p>Even after he was gone you found yourself still looking at the door until you felt a big hand on your shoulder. “You ok Y/n… sorry about that…” </p>
<p>Before he could continue, you interrupted him and blurted out everything that was going through your head. “You did 90 days in what I’m guessing was in jail, its oddly specific to say when you’re talking about a trip or visiting someone, now you have a brother and a creepy man that is looking for him…” You look at Clyde not hesitating away anymore about if you should or shouldn’t know, now you demanded it for the safety of you and your friends. “I think we need to talk after we close.” He says nothing but nods before going back to the other side of the bar.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>                   ------------------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Last call is shouted and everyone either tells you or Clyde to either keep the tab open for tomorrow or pays out for the night. Few tips are put into the tip jar and as the last customer leaves through the door, Clyde is by it locking it and turning off the open sign. He has yet to turn around as you see him take a few breaths before finally getting the courage to look at you. “Before you say anything, I got a lot to explain and I would like if you let me get it all out before asking questions.” At this point all you could do is sigh and nod at him. You see him walking towards the bar but standing in front of it to still give you space. “First, I got some questions for you, how did you find out about my 90 days?”</p>
<p>“Clara, she told us that you haven’t seen her in a while but that she understood why you couldn’t see her for the 90 days, Like I said before, no one describes a trip or anything like that, except if you spent time in jail or your telling someone about when meat expires.” Clyde chuckles at the end part.</p>
<p>“Well I’m definitely not expired meat, I did some jail time…”</p>
<p>“For what?” Clyde looks up at you with a drained look on his face, you look down and nod in a silent apology for already breaking the rule.</p>
<p>“I ran into a Savemart, on purpose.” He went silent to see if you were going to speak up but when you just looked at him with confused eyes, he continued. “You see before my sister worked at the salon, she worked as a cashier at the Savemart, but the manager started getting handsy with her and when she did not respond to his advances, she got fired. Well that pissed me and my brother Jimmy off and we worked a plan to get even.” Clyde just stares at you.</p>
<p>“Well… am I allowed to ask a question now?” Clyde shakes his head out the daze before finally answering you.</p>
<p>“Oh. oh yeah, go ahead.”</p>
<p>“Ok thank you, so let me get this straight, you and Jimmy… that’s what you said his name was?” Clyde nods and you continue, “Damaged a Savemart, to white knight your sisters honor?”</p>
<p>Clyde sighs, “in a less judgmental way, yes.”</p>
<p>“Y’all ran into it with a car I’m guessing?” you eye Clyde who is now not giving you eye contact all of a sudden.</p>
<p>“Well technically, I ran into the Savemart … by myself.” Just as you were about to open your mouth Clyde continues. “It was his idea though.”</p>
<p>You can’t believe what your hearing, no wonder why people were looking for him, he was a small crimes Charles Manson. “Clyde, why?’</p>
<p>“Cauliflower.”</p>
<p>You don’t know what to say to him, not because your upset with him but because of all the excuses he could have told you, you were not ready to hear him blame a vegetable. “Cauliflower?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, it’s a way to inform the other that we needed a favor.”</p>
<p>You stand there in silence now leaning on the bar for support, you weren’t scared for your life anymore as much as you were confused on who these people actually are. “You couldn’t just say you needed a favor from each other?”</p>
<p>Clyde went silent. “Well, yeah guess we could have… it started when we were kids, I broke a window with a baseball, and I was freaking out that when my ma and pa came back home that they would blister my butt.” You have an amused look on your face now, of course the Logan brother shenanigans started when they were young.  “Jimmy told me that it was ok and that he would take the blame as long as I returned the favor when he asked and I couldn’t say no. I of course agreed to it but Jimmy said to make sure there was no take backsies that I had to swear on something… but not the bible, he didn’t want me to go to hell.”</p>
<p>You giggle and immediately get serious again. “Wow, generous, so let me guess you swore on cauliflower, cause you’re a bunch of idiot kids?”</p>
<p>Clyde laughs to himself, “Yes, and that day Jimmy kept his promise and took the lickin for me, and I waited when he would bring up cauliflower.”</p>
<p>“So, he said Cauliflower to you running into the Savemart?”</p>
<p>“Well actually he said it when we we’re teens, he wanted to impress this girl name Bobbie Jo, so he had this brilliant idea to spray paint his affections to her on school property, I was supposed to be the lookout and I guess I got distracted, so he pulled a cauliflower on me.” Clyde was looking away like he was ashamed.</p>
<p>“Well was she at least impressed that he went to those lengths for her?”</p>
<p>Clyde does a huff laugh and looks at you with a distressed look like there was more to it then he was wanting to go into at the moment, “Yeah, she married him and had my niece…Sadie.” </p>
<p>You smile, “Well that’s good, I thought I overheard something about moving closer to his daughter… so how long were you in jail for that?”</p>
<p>Clyde looks at you with a smile, “Actually I did juvie for that, so technically I’ve only been to jail once if that helps soften the blow.”</p>
<p>You look at him with a blank stare, you couldn’t believe he did juvie, you were absolutely sure about the jail time, but you didn’t expect that. You wonder to yourself if you told him the truth about all of you, would he actually be ok with it? You start walking to the side of the bar where Clyde is on and you stand close to him. Responding to your movement he straightens out his body that was once leaning on the bar.</p>
<p>“Y/n, is everything ok?” Clyde says in an almost whispered soft tone, while staring at you intently.</p>
<p>You’re still looking down, not wanting to look him in the eye, “Yeah, I’m sorry if I ever made you feel like I was judging…” You couldn’t finish that sentence, as much as you wanted to blurt your confession, you knew it wouldn’t be right to tell a secret that did not just belong to you. Still unable to look at him, you hear his soothing deep voice.</p>
<p>“I mean… I never felt like you were, actually I find it really brave for you to stand up to me to protect you and your friends like that….” Clyde looks down trying to catch your eyes, when he finally does, you feel his hand caress your arm in a comforting motion. “I would never hurt you or your friends or let anyone I know hurt y’all for that matter.”</p>
<p>You are looking deeply in Clyde’s eyes again like some weird déjà vu. The last time y’all had a moment like this, you almost kissed under the stars, but now there was no drunken Earl to stop this. You look at his lips before unintentionally wetting your own. Clyde notices and is suddenly jumps a few feet away from you, not looking at you. Your heart hurts, maybe you’re getting the wrong idea. You can’t look at him either right now.</p>
<p>“Sorry, I …”</p>
<p>Clyde is looking away but then you see him slowly turning back in your direction. “I want to, I really do but also…” he gets slightly closer but enough for you to still have space as he says in a soft tone. “You’re not here for very long either and I don’t do…that.”</p>
<p>Looking at him confused, “Do what?”</p>
<p>He is giving you a up and down glance before tilting his head, “Your gonna make me say it?” You know exactly what he meant but slightly amused at his innocence about this, you couldn’t help but mess with him for a bit. You just nod while trying to hold back a smirk. Clyde sighs.</p>
<p>“I don’t do one night stands, ok there I said it, happy?”</p>
<p>By this point you have been holding it in for a while and after a while you can’t hold back anymore, you loudly started laughing. Clyde is looking at you with an unamused face. “Ok, ok sorry.” You quickly clear your throat in hopes that will stop your giggle fit, thankfully for Clyde it works. “Hey, even more reason for me to help you out on your look.” Clyde gives another slightly annoyed face towards you. “Now before you make some other flimsy excuse, hear me out, let’s find you a lady.” Clyde’s face becomes scrunched up in a way that makes it look like he just smelled something foul.</p>
<p>“It actually would be a win/win for both of us, you look good at the bar to earn us some tips and a few younger more financially idiotic customers and also possibly the attention of a local girl…When is the last time you got some?”</p>
<p>Clyde looks shocked and embarrassed but still has the courage to answer. “Umm, will you take a while as an answer and leave it alone?” You smile.</p>
<p>“Sure, I’ll take that answer.” Your smile gets bigger as you say in a happy sing song voice “We gonna get you laid and paid, we gonna get you laid and paid!” Clyde just laughs and starts heading towards the door</p>
<p>“Ok, you ready to go now?”  he has it open wide enough for you to fit under his arm to go through the door first, he follows and begins to lock the door. “So, what time you wanna shoot for?”</p>
<p>Distracted at the stars you didn’t notice Clyde was looking at you. “for what?”</p>
<p>You hear him sigh still not looking at him, “So we can go get clothes for me.” Your head shoots towards Clyde’s direction with a huge smile on your face.</p>
<p>“Wait, really, your allowing this… finally?”</p>
<p>Clyde looks at you with a smile on his face knowing that you’re not so hidden excitement is clearly showing. “We can go to whatever store you like around 11, sound good?” He walks pass you to his car as he messes with his keys in his hands, you follow close by.</p>
<p>“Yes, sounds like a plan.” You get into the car and you are literally jumping out of your skin, you can’t believe you get to make Clyde into an even hunkier man.</p>
<p>“Paid and laid, right… but I want to find a nice girl, so don’t set me up with one of those ladies who think dating a bartender immediately means free drinks for her and her friends forever.” You look up at him, the smile on your face washes away. Clyde really wants to do this to find a girl, and you the idiot just told him you would help him! Not wanting Clyde to see something changed in you, you immediately fake a smile and try to make a joke.</p>
<p>“Oh, Clyde Logan I take offense to that, besides you caught on to my tricks pretty quickly.” </p>
<p>“You know that’s not what I meant, you and your friends were a special case.” You get it that this is what y’alls relationship was, it was friends who messed with each other and called each other out, that’s all you ever showed him to be. It was partially your fault, you could have kissed him anyway, at either time, but you didn’t, instead you let him think it didn’t affect you, because that’s what you wanted him to see. Now he wants to find the woman of his dreams and you stupidly volunteered as his Igor.</p>
<p>“Yeah you better be, don’t want to have a bad start with your new stylist.” After that, not much else was said till y’all got back to Mellie’s house, you said your goodnights and went on your way knowing that tomorrow was the start of a new Clyde and a miserable you.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>                   ---------------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Red or blue, or maybe we should just get both.” You found yourself at the mall looking at trendy plaid button downs that still looked like Clyde, you didn’t want to change his look too much.  “Opinion?” as you look at Clyde sitting in a chair with a bored look on his face.</p>
<p>“If I had a good opinion, then we wouldn’t be here buying a bunch of new clothes for me.”</p>
<p>“Well truth, but you still have a say in what you wear… so Red or Blue?” With The red shirt in you right hand and the blue shirt in your left, you lift one at a time till you hear something come out of Clyde. You hear him sigh loudly and dramatically.</p>
<p>“Does one take me to another world?” he says as he gives you a cocky smirk.</p>
<p>“Ha-ha, so funny… just for that your buying both, we need belts now.” You start looking around the store to see where belts would be located.</p>
<p>“I already got belts.”</p>
<p>“I’m talking about belts that you can’t see from outer space or just plain black, even though we will still put that one to good use.” As you continue to look around you finally spot a wall of belts and quickly head to it.  </p>
<p>Clyde gets up slowly from the chair and follows along, “So my outer space belts are out then, maybe some girl likes the big belt buckle kinda of guy.” You’re looking at a tan and brown belt and thinking about looks while answering a big babies’ questions, multi-tasking was your forte, he was about to learn this.</p>
<p>“Well maybe, let’s ask…” you look around to find a pretty lady looking at a blouse nearby. “Ma’am, sorry to bother you but what do you think about big belt buckles?” She looks confused but answers anyway</p>
<p>“Aren’t those just worn so people look at men’s crotches more often?”</p>
<p>You smile, then look at Clyde as you answer the woman. “Why yes, I think they do, what do you think Clyde?” </p>
<p>Clyde smiles at you, “Ok, point taken, no big belt buckles.”</p>
<p>The woman smiles as she is looking at you both, “y’all are the cutest couple, how long have y’all been together?”</p>
<p>Just as you were about to answer, Clyde interrupts. “6 very long months.” As he grabs you by the arms and pulls you in close to him and proceeds to wrap his arms loosely around your neck from behind. “She is still bossing me around like it was our first date.”</p>
<p>The ladies smile goes away quickly, “Well have fun, I think.” She quickly scampers off to another part of the store away from them. You take this moment to roll his arms off your shoulders as he laughs.</p>
<p>“Ok you had your fun, now back to business on you making me more money.”</p>
<p>“And you finding me a lady, how long do you think it will take for a woman to notice me?” he says it shyly like he was embarrassed on asking it but still curious enough to still ask.</p>
<p>It kinda hurts to think of Clyde with someone else but you had to face the facts, he doesn’t want you, he wants someone who is here and present. You felt a little bit of sadness but didn’t want your feelings to affect Clyde. “After I’m done with you, it’s not gonna take long at all.”</p>
<p>                    ------------------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p>You wait for Clyde to come out of the house to see your masterpiece. You told him what to wear and what shoes to wear with it. You had one more surprise for him, but you were gonna wait till you got to Duck Tape for that. Just as you were trying to figure out how you would bring it up to him you hear a door closing and see Maya coming out of the Rv with her work outfit on.</p>
<p>“Hey, what are you doing with your uniform on already?”</p>
<p>Maya smiles, “Oh shit I haven’t got the chance to tell you because everyone’s schedule has been all over the place, I got me and James an earlier shift at the diner, I mean we still won’t be out until a ungodly hour but least it’s not as the sun is rising anymore. Maya looks around, “What the hell are you doing?” You smile smugly.</p>
<p>“Oh, just the next part of my plan to make Duck Tape a happening hot spot in Madison.” Maya looks at you confused but before she could ask any further for you to elaborate on that, you both turn to hear a squeak of the front door being opened. You spot Clyde in a red long sleeved plaid button down shirt and dark jeans.</p>
<p>“I feel silly.” He says as he raises his hands and looks at the sleeves like they were offending him. You smile and step forward and grab his right arm to start rolling his sleeves halfway, you cautiously start to take his left arm before looking up at him for permission, he slowly nods, and you gently lift it up and start rolling the sleeve. When you start to look back at him you notice that he isn’t looking at you, “What if they can’t get over that?” You notice that you’re still holding his mechanical forearm in your hand.</p>
<p>“Then she isn’t it, and we keep searching, don’t let anyone ever make you feel bad for doing something brave.” He finally looks at you and just nods his head. Finally, you hear Maya speak up to fill up the silence between you and Clyde.</p>
<p>“Clyde you look awesome, I can’t believe you let Y/n do this.”</p>
<p>Clyde smiles and chuckles, “Thanks Maya, I trust Y/n enough to not make me look to much like a fool. “You quickly look away knowing that the real fight was coming once you got to Duck Tape. </p>
<p>“Well let’s just keep an open mind, huh.”</p>
<p>----------------------------------------------------------------</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So the song for this one was kinda of a cop out. it was the song that was being played when Joe Bang came to ask Clyde if he has seen Jimmy.</p>
<p>in case you don't know...<br/>I Can't Feel You Anymore by Loretta Lynn</p>
<p>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1PPuvyUSC0</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So i may start to show some inspo for the outfits that Clyde will be rocking from now on, this one is definitely Flip Zimmerman inspired - https://www.pinterest.ie/pin/381609768405838941/</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Fear of Falling</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello all!</p>
<p>So it's been a week. Honestly I officially ran out of outlines and felt a block of where i wanted this chapter to go. After some personal troubles i used my sadness to write and it flowed through me. i'm actually very happy with this chapter and back to being excited where i'm going to take Reader and friends.</p>
<p>If you are enjoying this please leave me a like or a comment. (Would love to know what y'all would like to see from this story as well.)</p>
<p>Thanks and Enjoy! &lt;3</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Absolutely not, you ain’t doing that!” Clyde pulls away from you quick like you showed him something disgusting, but what was actually in your hand was a simple black hair band.</p>
<p>“Clyde, it’s not a big deal, it’s just to get your hair out of your face.” You try to walk back towards him but again he walks back a step. “Clyde, quit being a big ol’ baby.”</p>
<p>Maya interjects with a smile, “Come on Clyde, you trust Y/n, right?” You look at her not knowing if she was trying to help or hinder the situation, but you had a plan to make it work to your advantage.</p>
<p>“So, you don’t trust me...” pretending to look sad and then looking away like you had shame. What was really happening is you needing to look away so that Clyde wouldn’t see you suppressing a giggle. You looked at Maya who resembled a devil in a diner’s uniform just smiling at you knowing what you were doing. She has seen you do it before to other people and to the other friends as well, hell you even tried to do it to Maya one time until you realize she caught on to your tricks. Realizing it was a mistake to look at her when your giggle came out louder this time and hoping that hiding it behind a cough wouldn’t give it away to Clyde.</p>
<p>“Oh no, Y/n I trust you, but does it have to be a man bun?” ‘He hasn’t caught on’ goes through your head in celebration as you continue to act sad. “It just seems to be something guys with obsessive opinions about coffee or beer do a lot.”</p>
<p>“You think guys with douchey opinions about beer and coffee only wear their hair up?” You give him a look like it was a crazy opinion, he returns the look right back at you. “Ok, so a majority of guys your describing does wear man buns, but I don’t want to put a man bun in your hair, I just want to get the strands out of your face.”</p>
<p>Looking skeptical, Clyde finally starts taking steps toward you, “Meaning what then?” Trying to not look so pleased with yourself, you start walking towards him to meet him halfway.</p>
<p>You reach up to grab a few strands of hair from the front and pushed it back and then turn his body towards a reflective sign across the room. “See, no big deal, it’s like a half man bun at best.” Clyde looks at his reflection and sighs loudly.</p>
<p>“You promise it won’t look stupid?” He then goes from looking at his own reflection to you.</p>
<p>“I will only promise that you will get use to it, and even if you hate it that bad you can take it out, but please you gotta give it an hour at least.”</p>
<p>A large sigh comes from Clyde’s mouth again, “Ok fine, do your worst.”</p>
<p>You squealed in excitement along with some fast clapping which made Clyde just smile at you. “Ok, turn around, let me work my magic, by the time I’m done with your hair, you gonna be swatting the ladies off you with a fly swatter.”</p>
<p>“Wow, good one sweet pea.” Maya says with oozing sarcasm. Just on cue James comes back from doing his makeup in the bathroom.</p>
<p>“Ooo, are we calling her that again, I thought we were barred from ever using it.” James says as he sits down next to Maya on the stool and places his unusually giant makeup bag on the counter.</p>
<p>You start to take big pieces from the front of Clyde’s hair and brush it back with your fingers. You tried to not notice how soft his thick black waves felt between your fingers. It reminded you of a time when you were watching some Pee-wee movie when you were young and you remembered a scene where he was putting his fingers through some girls hair before they kissed. For the longest time you believed that was what love was, the ability to put your fingers through someone’s hair. Thankfully you grew up and realize there was more to love then the ability to put your fingers through someone’s hair, regardless of having to learn it in juvie, so what did you actually know about love. Joshua “Lil Riot” Nusbaum was your first “love” and sex consisted of two of your friends watching outside the room while you let him wiggle on top of you for 15 seconds. Everything else has been hookups and fooling someone you liked them. What did you know about love, maybe some stupid Pee-Wee movie did have it right, you couldn’t help but feel happy right now playing with his hair.</p>
<p>“Sweet pea? Why did y’all start calling her that?” You could see in the reflective sign he was smiling and leaning his head back for you to have a better view of his hair to make up for his much taller stature.</p>
<p>“In Ju..” James quickly stopped himself and started to look at Maya to help him, as you just stare at both of them wide eyed behind Clyde.</p>
<p>“Jupiter.” Maya said quickly. James and you both give her the most confused and annoyed look. “Jupiter exhibition, at… that museum.”</p>
<p>“The science museum, with the planets.” You say it aloud knowing you’re not actually helping cause your still caught off guard by her answer.</p>
<p>“Yep, we were on a field trip in the 7th grade to learn about planets and we were learning about Jupiter’s 72 moons. We were talking about the smallest moon being the size of a pea and that kid that was in love with you, Josh called you his sweet pea. It stuck ever since, right Y/n?”</p>
<p>Well the lie was there but with a little bit of truth sprinkled in unfortunately. “Yep, and I rather not talk about Josh ever again so if we could also not call me sweet pea too, that would be great.” You say quickly in hopes to change the subject.</p>
<p>“72?” Clyde says softly to himself. “There should have been 63 when y’all were in school, nine of them were not discovered till later.”</p>
<p>“Well who actually fucking listens to their teacher at those things.” Maya says nonchalantly “Hey didn’t you let Josh finger bang you there?”</p>
<p>If this was her way of changing the subject, she had a shitty way of doing it, especially bringing up Josh way too many times in front of Clyde for your liking. “No, it was a different museum field trip, thanks for bringing it up.”</p>
<p>“Well it must have worked on you a little bit, being called sweet pea.” You don’t need to look in the reflective sign to know Clyde was smiling bigger now.</p>
<p>“Yeah well when you’re a dumb tween, you let anybody finger bang you, isn’t that right Maya.”</p>
<p>Maya smiles, “Finger banging is the gateway drug to sex.” Everyone starts laughing except James.</p>
<p>“I tried to, but I was practically dry heaving as I was doing it, think that was my first sign, and the fact I kept checking Daniel Tully’s ass in his gym shorts.” James says with a sly smile on his face which makes everyone start laughing again. After the near confession and the weird topic of first times, you were finally done with Clyde’s hair. It was a nice half bun that sat on the back of his head with his lower hair still down, so he didn’t feel like he went too far into man bun territory. </p>
<p>“What do you think.” Taking his head that was still leaned back and pushing it forward again so he would be eye level of the reflective sign.</p>
<p>“You don’t think I look silly?” he says looking at you while still facing the sign.</p>
<p>“I think you look very handsome with the hair not in your face, so…no I don’t think you look silly.” You say softly while looking at him through the sign. You quickly remember that you’re not alone and quickly need to make an excuse to not look deeply in Clyde’s eyes.  “Doesn’t he look handsome with the hair outta of his face guys?”</p>
<p>“Oh yes he does Regina George.” Maya smiles and James snickers.</p>
<p>“It was too easy; it was right there. “James says to Maya softly hoping that she is the only one to hear, you just give them a sarcastic monotone laugh letting James know you did hear him.</p>
<p>“Is Regina George a girl y’all went to school with?” Clyde asks truly clueless to what Maya was referencing, it was kinda adorable. </p>
<p>“Everyone kinda goes to school with a Regina George. Maya mutters. “You probably went to school with one too.” Clyde Looks confused, but you deflect by going back to the point on hand.</p>
<p>“Who cares about her, you ready to turn heads?” You look back at Clyde with your hands on both of his muscular, well-built arms, how is that even possible?</p>
<p>“It’s just gonna be the normal crowd tonight.” He says with a smirk.</p>
<p>“Yeah well maybe one of those normal crowds of people will have a cute niece they want to set you up with now, regardless you’re ready.”</p>
<p>Boy was he ready, by the time the crowd started coming in and Maya and James left for their shift, everyone was noticing Clyde’s new look. One asked why he looked weird, another asked if he signed up for that Queer Eye show and wanted to know why no one ever tells him when tv show personalities come into town. Clyde had an answer or comeback for every question that came his way, except one that came from Earl.</p>
<p>“Does your brother know your playing dress up with girly here?” You could see Clyde struggling to come up with an answer, as he kept opening and shutting his mouth.</p>
<p>“What does it matter if he knows or not, he’s in Lynchburg right?” You say matter-of -factly. </p>
<p>Earl just looks at you then back at Clyde and shakes his head and goes back to his whisky. Clyde finally says something.</p>
<p>“I ain’t hurting no one, besides I think Y/n did a pretty good job.” He says with a swift nod afterwards. He looks at you and winks.</p>
<p>You try to not blush, but without looking at yourself you know your failing, so you do what you always do and use avoidants. “Clyde can I have your phone please, I think it’s time to try out the Bluetooth part of this jukebox.” You put on a song that might stop you from thinking about how good Clyde looks right now. The overly 80’s sound of the song comes from the jukebox, until the power vocals kick in and you sing and dance along to it.</p>
<p>Ain't no personal thing, boy<br/>But you have got to stay away<br/>Far, far away from my heart, my heart<br/>Don't you know what your kiss is doing<br/>Let me tell it to you from the start, boy</p>
<p>I don't wanna fall in love<br/>Love cuts just like a knife<br/>You make the knife feel good<br/>I'll fight you to the end, baby</p>
<p>You overhear Earl talking to Clyde about being careful and keeping it low key till the coast is clear. You find yourself listening in again, the last time you did this you found out about Clyde’s brother and the creepy man in red looking for him.</p>
<p>“I had Mellie test them out, she said they were fine, she got no cop vibes from them, you’re working on their car do you get a sense of something Earl?” You hear Clyde try to say in a low voice. He gives a quick glance your way and you pretend to continue to sing and dance to the song.</p>
<p>You've been hanging around, boy<br/>And you have started sinking in<br/>Whoa baby, you're way out of line now<br/>Unaware how this all got started<br/>Let me tell it you one more time, boy</p>
<p>I don't wanna fall in love<br/>Love cuts just like a knife<br/>You make the knife feel good<br/>I'll fight you to the end, baby</p>
<p> </p>
<p>After he thinks the coast is clear and returns his sights on Earl, you go back to listening on to the conversation and you hear Earl answer his question.  “I don’t know, something weird about four people with a classic car and they don’t know nothing about it, usually people ain’t buying 1969 mustangs on a whim.”</p>
<p>“Neither do cops trying to not look suspicious, stop being paranoid and say something nice to Y/n about this.” You can only gather that most likely Clyde brought attention to his look again, it makes you smile that he may not want to say it, but he does like the way he looks.</p>
<p>I learned something about myself<br/>Last night with you I knew<br/>I didn't want nobody else<br/>And you're scaring me to death now baby</p>
<p>I don't wanna fall in love<br/>Love cuts just like a knife<br/>You make the knife feel good<br/>I'll fight you to the end</p>
<p>I don't wanna fall in love<br/>Love cuts just like a knife<br/>You make the knife feel good<br/>I'll fight you to the end</p>
<p>“Hey Y/n.” You hear Earl finally raising his voice louder than it was before, you look over like you were surprised to hear Earl call out your name, but you knew what was coming. “Uh, Clyde actually looks decent, supposedly that’s because of you… good job.”</p>
<p>“You smile, “Well just trying to get him a nice lady.”</p>
<p>“Wait, what? Earls starts doing several short huff laughs “Your helping him find a nice lady, I thought…” Clyde gives him a stern look, and Earl clears his throat. “Well that’s mighty nice of you.”</p>
<p>“You looking for a lady Clyde, I got the girl for you.” A voice from the other side of the bar pipes up, you realize this voice to be another regular named Pete. “I got a neighbor about your age, hell I got two for you since she got a roommate a little bit younger but not by too much, you get your pick boy”</p>
<p>Clyde looks at him apprehensively. “No offense Pete, but you don’t know nice girls, hell you probably tried to hit on them yourself.”</p>
<p>“Offense majorly taken, I did hit on them, but they said they call the cops on me if I kept trying, they are nice girls Clyde.”</p>
<p>Clyde looks at you and all you could do was give him a shrug back. You knew this was going to happen, but you weren’t ready for this to happen so quickly. You had to act with a calm demeanor but inside you were freaking out. “Ok what’s their names Pete?”</p>
<p>He drunkenly claps his hands and rubs them together “Tippi Mae and Lona Cook, very sweet girls.”</p>
<p>You roll your eyes, what kind of names are those, you decided to put a stop to it before Clyde gets his hopes up. “So you say, But how are you gonna get them here if they have already threaten to call the cops on you Pete?” </p>
<p>Pete opens up his mouth, but nothing comes out. Just as you had your point proven a baritone voice pipes up. “Well Pete you say I would get along with these girls, it would be selfish for me to ask but you think you can try to convince them to grab a drink here one night?” You look shocked that Clyde actually stood up to something by himself, to ask for something selfish for once in his life. Your eyes catch with Earl’s who looks almost sad for you, you quickly look away from him.</p>
<p>“Who we trying to convince to grab a drink here?” Almost like she felt her ears burning, Mellie pipes up just as she is getting into the door and following behind her is Sam.</p>
<p>“Supposedly, Pete found Clyde nice girls.” You try to say without a bitterness to it.</p>
<p>“Clyde, Pete don’t know nice girls.”</p>
<p>“They tried to call the cops on him.” Clyde says with an optimism.</p>
<p>“Pete, did these girls try to call the cops on you?”</p>
<p>“Yes ma’am, they tried to.” He said with a more confusing optimism, now you were starting to feel like you were in an episode the Twilight Zone.</p>
<p>“Are they pretty?” You had enough and slammed your hand down a little too hard on the bar counter.</p>
<p>“Oh come on, Mellie you can’t be falling for this too.” You look at her with a shocked disappointment.</p>
<p>“Sorry Y/n, if there is a opportunity to get my brother hitched so I can get more nieces and nephews, I become a pretty determine future auntie.”</p>
<p>Clyde steps toward you and lowers his voice for only you to hear, “Isn’t that the point of making me look like this, help me find someone?”</p>
<p>You look into his eyes and see almost a sadness that if you asked him, he would miss this chance for you. He trusts you. “It’s just…it’s Pete, but if you feel like this is a good place to start then you should do it.” Clyde’s sadness fades away and starts to give you a big grin.</p>
<p>“Thanks for making this happen, you gave me the confidence boost to do this you know, you’re a great friend.” Clyde all a sudden looks away from you “Pete, please try to get them here, maybe a Thursday or Friday so it feels like you’re telling them about a cool bar instead of a setup.”</p>
<p>Mellie get’s Clyde’s attention, “Clyde why do you look like you know more about coffee than me all of a sudden?” Clyde looks at you immediately and gives you a disparaging look.</p>
<p>“I knew it, I knew it, I do look like one of those douchey coffee guys.”</p>
<p>“No, no you don’t, Mellie please say something nice about Clyde’s new look, please.” Mellie doesn’t answer right away and keeps looking at you and then Clyde.</p>
<p>“You did this to him; you actually went and got new clothes with him?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Clyde rolls his eyes and you look confused. “Yeah, Why?”</p>
<p>“What do you ladies want to drink, Beers?” Clyde tries to interrupt but it doesn’t stop Mellie.</p>
<p>“Last time I tried to offer to go with him to get clothes, he told me he would rather go with a girl that he…”</p>
<p>Clyde slams down the beers and opens them with the opener. “Ok, here we go 2 beers, hey Y/n can you go see if the others need a refill on their drinks.”</p>
<p>You look confused but follow orders, before you leave you manage to get out one more thing to answer Mellie. “If it’s any consolation, he put a fight up with me until the final end at the checkout.” You look at Sam and gesture to follow you to the other side, she gets up and meets you on the other side. Just as you were walking away you heard Mellie make an exclamation and a few more mumbles of something else.</p>
<p>“Hey, you wanted to talk to me about something?” Sam says just as you get to her.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I overheard Earl talking to Clyde tonight about his suspicions about our car and why we even have it.”</p>
<p>“You think he knows it’s stolen, should we run?”</p>
<p>“No, thankfully Clyde erased any worries from his head, I think we are good for now, no need to worry the two who are known to jump ship like that.” You snap your fingers. “Just wanted to know if Mellie has asked you anything suspicious?”</p>
<p>“I mean, the usual stuff, where you from, how we know each other, where we are going, what for.” You must of not hid your fear very well because she quickly reassured you. “We have a story and that’s all she’s getting from me, even though I don’t see why we have to lie to them about our past, Mel seems nice.”</p>
<p>“Mel? Your so friendly your using name shorteners now?”</p>
<p>“What, your telling me you and Clyde are not doing that?” she gives you a skeptical look. You look at Sam with a smug smile, sometimes you are all too busy treating her like a kid since she’s the youngest and forget that secretly she might be the smartest of the bunch.</p>
<p>“He calls me by my name mostly, but he has started calling me coyote.” you sigh loudly, “And he might start calling me sweet pea now, no thanks to James and Maya telling the story about how Joshua would call me his sweet pea.”</p>
<p>“Guessing they skipped out on the part that his juvie name was lil riot?” you just bite your lip and nod. “By the way good job on making Clyde actually look decent.”</p>
<p>You huffed but didn’t want to show that you honestly believed he looked just fine before your makeover. “Thank you, I work wonders. Also hoping the new digs will get more people in here if Duck Tape can be a known hot spot.” You look away to look at Clyde on the other end and quickly back at Sam.</p>
<p>“But we got the money for the part right, we don’t need to try so hard, when do you think we will get back on the road to New York?”</p>
<p>That was a loaded question, as much as you knew that this wasn’t home, the idea of leaving it made you sad regardless. The idea of never seeing Clyde broke your heart. “Uhhh, not sure, we need money before we head out.” You were looking down at the counter in hopes that your face wouldn’t give away your doubts to someone who looked up to you like a sister, someone who knew as long as you were around you would protect her. You couldn’t let her know your thoughts about leaving her or your family. What kind of person would you be if after all these years of being there for each other, you were thinking about being selfish?</p>
<p>“Hey Y/n, we need to start closing tasks.” You turn around to see Clyde leaning against the counter with a smile on his face. Turning back around you literally found yourself in a surreal position, on one end of the bar there was your past and present, your friends and the continued life that has always worked for you, always made you feel comfortable. On the other end was a new friend, a job you could see yourself enjoying and being good at, and of course the tall handsome stranger you could confess your feelings for and actually try something with him. What if it scares you and you run away like you have known it to do before, could they ever forgive you? </p>
<p>“What do you want to do, clean tables or quantity check?” You see Clyde closer to you now but not looking at you for some reason. “Obviously I’ll clean the bathrooms since I don’t think the ladies’ room would be occupied, but for any reason one of these drunken fools used it I’ll check it out.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Clyde.” Clyde all of a sudden stopped rambling about closing tasks and finally looked at you. Not actually ready to know what you were about to say to him, there was a bunch of stuff you could ask him right now but one topic in particular was on your mind the most. “You’re sure you’re ready to meet these girls?”</p>
<p>Clyde looks at you with a slight smirk “I’ve been ready to meet my person for a while now, hoping that they would walk in here and I would just know, but usually it’s just the regulars and people passing through.” He looks away. “Unless you know something I don’t, if you got a reason why I shouldn’t meet these girls.”</p>
<p>This was your opening, this was your chance, you had to take it, be selfish. You look back over at Sam who is talking with Pete and looking uncomfortable while just sipping her drink. As you look back to Clyde and sigh. “You should try, you won’t know unless you meet them and see where it goes from there. One of them could end up being your otter.”</p>
<p>Clyde laughs at the last statement. “My otter? What does that mean?”</p>
<p>“Otters mate for life, and when they do, they hold hands while floating down the river, so they won’t get lost from each other.” You look at him. “You should find that person you want to hold hands with forever, so you never get lost again.”</p>
<p>Clyde says nothing for a while and just smiles before finally saying. “I would like that very much.”</p>
<p>You tell him you will start wiping down counters as you move away from the bar with your towel. Your left in your own thoughts about how you would give anything to have your otter too.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>- The song used in this chapter is heavy 80's tune Don't Want To Fall In Love by Jane Child <br/>(We should definitely try to bring back the nose ring earring combo again)<br/>side note- favorite part of the music video is her dancing with a wall at the 3:46 mark. 😂</p>
<p>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWd__w5UWVc</p>
<p> </p>
<p>- Clydes hair brought to you by letter F.<br/>Fuck that's a good look on him</p>
<p>https://media.giphy.com/media/pzGIaYnuIS4wnonYYg/giphy.gif</p>
<p> </p>
<p>- Another side note that's less important - If my future S/O doesn't let me call him otter, then i don't want him.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. The Art of Lying</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey there! no real note, just wanted to use this time to vent.</p><p>I tell people i'm writing and eventually i told a couple people it's a Fanfiction but now they want to read it and i'm kinda stuck in this place where i'm embarrassed and just not sure if they are not going to automatically assume . Then there is the fact i'm going to have to explain what Y/n means and then wonder if they are gonna freak out about that.</p><p>TL;DR- look up the lyrics to Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls. 😂 Not sure if I should let people I know read my stuff.<br/>I would love to talk to people who does this as well and to see how y'all handle non fanfiction readers wanting to read your story. Comment down below.</p><p>Vent over. Enjoy the chapter!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span class="u">September 29th, 2017</span>
</p><p>
  
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</p><p>Maya, James and Sam sit at the bar with their drinks in hand. It’s been a awhile since you and your friends were able to all just hang out and enjoy the night since everyone’s schedule has been all over the place. After a while you felt like you and your friends got so much into a routine here that you forgot why you were doing it in the first place, New York became almost a distant idea.</p><p> </p><p>“So, this guy comes in and says that he has never seen a woman like me before in his life.” Maya says as she is leaning back on her stool.</p><p> </p><p>“So, how did you let him down, you know, not being the right gender and all?” You said as you try to look as busy as you could so Clyde would not get on your case.</p><p> </p><p>“What do you mean? I’m getting free food out of this, I told him I’m available next Saturday.” Everybody laughs which gets Clyde’s attention from the other side of the bar. You quickly move away from your friends and ask Earl if he needs a refill on his whiskey.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh no, don’t you dare use me so Clyde won’t come over here and get on your case.” You just roll your eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“You want another whiskey or not?”</p><p> </p><p>Earl just blinks his eyes at you a few times. “Well, if your offering.”</p><p> </p><p>You grab the glass and fill it with some new ice and pour a round of Jameson in it before giving it back to Earl. “Thanks.” He looks behind you, “But your still in trouble.” He then starts to look anywhere else but in your direction,</p><p> </p><p>Before you could figure out another thing you can do to look busy you hear the hum of his voice in your ear. “So, you get one person a drink and think your off the hook?”</p><p> </p><p>Quickly turning around you see Clyde looking good in a denim on denim outfit that he picked out. He hasn’t put his hair back up since the last time you did it, but he has asked you if you could do it again on Friday when he was supposed to meet Pete’s neighbor’s.</p><p> </p><p>“I was doing my rounds.” You say with a sheepish look on your face. Clyde just smirks at you knowing that was not the case.</p><p> </p><p>“I know it’s been awhile since you’ve seen your friends, but it’s kinda crazy in here and…”</p><p> </p><p>Stopping him mid-way through “I know, I know, I’ll try to be more alert.” Clyde mouths ‘Thank you’ before he starts to turn around, you get his attention by putting your hand on his shoulder. You hold out your other hand and smile at him. “Please.”</p><p> </p><p>He smirks at you knowing fully well what you wanted. He takes out his phone and puts it in your hand. “Pick a good one.”</p><p> </p><p>With a fake shocked look on your face, “You say that like I haven’t been picking good songs.”</p><p> </p><p>He just smiles and starts to walk away, “Just be ready when I request a song of my choice.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, so more Patsy Cline, can’t wait.”  As you return your focus on the phone and go to Clyde’s music streaming app, you find yourself back in front of your friends.  “What should I pick to put on the jukebox?”</p><p> </p><p>“Something with a beat, anything but this.” James says as he listen’s on to a Loretta Lynn song being played.</p><p> </p><p>“With this many people in here, that tip jar should not be looking that sad, anything that will help with that.” Maya says looking at nothing but the pickled egg jar.</p><p> </p><p>“What about Taylor Swift?” Sam says confidently</p><p> </p><p>You hear the entrance door bell ding but don’t look up from Clyde’s phone. “Evening! I don’t know about T-Swift Sam, it might not be a good beat to dance to.”</p><p> </p><p>Hearing the squeaking of a stool nearby you, finally looking up you see a guy you’ve never seen before in a white t-shirt and jeans. Putting Clyde’s phone in your back jean pocket, you head to this new customer. “What can I get you?”</p><p> </p><p>He looks up at you confused and then looks around the bar. You follow his eyes to Clyde with his back turned to you both, then he looks back at you. “Uhh, can I get a Bud please.” You nod and lean down underneath the counter and grab the beer and use your forearm to open it before handing it to the customer. “Neat trick, um, who are you?” Your about to roll your eyes and tell this guy to get lost but notice an opportunity to maybe squeeze some money out of this guy. You lean forward and squeeze your arms to make your cleavage look nicer. “Names Y/n, What’s yours honey?”</p><p> </p><p>He smiles and shakes his head, “So you’re not from here then?”</p><p> </p><p>Was he mocking you? Who did this guy think he was coming in here with a cocky attitude like you should know of someone you’ve never seen before?</p><p> </p><p>Your smile disappears. “Well I’ve never seen you before so why don’t you inform me who the fuck you are.” Your voice must have gotten louder then you intended to, cause within seconds Clyde was behind you.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey Y/n, there a problem?” You moved to the side looking at Clyde.</p><p> </p><p>“No, this guy is just being a dick.” You look back at the customer who is grinning at Clyde. You look over to Clyde who has a confused but shocked look on his face.</p><p> </p><p>“So, I’m right, she ain’t from around here?”</p><p> </p><p>Clyde clears his throat; you think this is where he puts this douche in his place. “No, she and her friends are just passing through and needed to get money before heading on their way.” Your smug smile gets wipe clean when you hear the response, you immediately look at Clyde.</p><p> </p><p>“She also put you in that…Getup?” You’re now looking at the customer who still has a grin on his face. Before Clyde could answer him, you interrupt with the answer to his question.</p><p> </p><p>“Actually, he picked that out himself, but yes, I helped him get better clothes, why the fuck you care?”</p><p> </p><p>The customer continues to grin at you and even makes a short huff laugh, he then extends his arm out and holds out his hand. “We haven’t been properly introduced, names Jimmy, Jimmy Logan.”</p><p> </p><p>Well you were officially embarrassed, you could do 2 things right now, you could take his hand and apologize, or you could take his hand and all of a sudden pretend to be happy to finally meet him. He was a dick though, so you chose option 3, continue to be a dick to him cause now your pride is on the line and your too far gone. “Oh well, well, well, mini Charles Manson shows up again, what you want Clyde to do now, run into a pet shelter or mug a nun for you?”</p><p> </p><p>“Dear god what did you tell this girl about me?” He looks at Clyde but again before Clyde can say anything, you speak up.</p><p> </p><p>“You know you got a scary guy looking for you, so why don’t you be an actual good brother and go get the shit kick outta you, so your brother doesn’t have to deal with the shit himself.”</p><p> </p><p>Clyde finally speaks and moves between you and Jimmy. “Ok, ok, Y/n can you please check if anyone needs a refill.” You at first don’t move and just look at him, Clyde gently puts his hand on your arm. “Please.” Your face finally softens, and you just sigh and nod before heading back towards your friends who are the closest by. As you started to move you heard a little bit more of their conversation.</p><p> </p><p>Jimmy Whistles, “Dang she’s a firecracker, where did you find her?”</p><p> </p><p>You didn’t hear what Clyde responded with because you were out of ear reach to overhear the rest of the conversation.</p><p> </p><p>You do a walk of shame towards your friends, “How bad was that?” They all talk at once.</p><p> </p><p>“Bad.”</p><p> </p><p>“Pretty bad.”</p><p> </p><p>“Cringey to watch, ten outta ten rather punch myself in the face instead.”</p><p> </p><p>You look down at the counter but say in your most sarcastic voice, “Thanks guys, don’t give it to me harshly.”</p><p> </p><p>Maya leans over the counter passed Sam and James to get a better look at Jimmy. “So that’s the brother, huh? I thought they weren’t talking or something?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah something about him leaving after he told Clyde to go to jail for their sister’s honor.” Maya slowly turns her head towards you. “Yeah, I don’t know, it might be a country thing?”</p><p> </p><p>James laughs, “wouldn’t all your lives be more different if you had brothers who actually gave a fuck.” James laughs again as he sips his drink never minding the glares he was getting from you. Maya and Sam.</p><p> </p><p>You were about to say something before you feel a vibrate from your back pocket. You reach for the phone you forgot you had taken from Clyde; you didn’t know Clyde actually used it, but you couldn’t help but be curious about what the alert could actually be about.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p><strong>304-555-0955 </strong>- <strong><em>Heyyy this is tippi. i was told by my neighbor that we might have some stuff in common and 2 shoot u a txt. he also said something about meeting at ur bar… what day would w4u sugar?</em></strong></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“What the hell is it, did he get a nude… I knew there was something sinister about the nice guy bartender shit.” Maya says trying to grab the phone from your hand.</p><p> </p><p>Holding a death grip on his phone you manage to pull your hand away from Maya’s reach. “No, it’s nothing.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well It’s not nothing because you got a scrunched up nose, you only do that if it’s gross, weird or stupid, so which is it.” James holds his face in his hands like he just asked an innocent question, little does he know how much of a loaded question it is.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s a news alert, you know I hate politics.” You say smoothly hoping no one calls bullshit on you.</p><p> </p><p>Silence was deafening, you wait for what feels like an hour but really only a couple of seconds until Maya finally says something. “Ew, thought it was something fun, politics equals boring, no thanks.” Maya goes back to sipping her beer. “So, should I steal from this guy I’m going on a date with yes or no?”</p><p> </p><p>Both Sam and you say in unison no, while James excitedly says yes. As the argument between the friends start to happen, you manage to use it to leave their sight and look at the text again. You read it over and over to make sure your reading it correctly, there was no way Clyde would see this text and swoon over this girl. Knowing it was none of your business, but you knew you would be just saving Clyde the extra step if you just so happen to accidently delete the text. Looking over at Clyde you see him still talking with his brother with a stern look on his face and nodding to something Jimmy is saying.</p><p> </p><p>Your going to help Clyde find the woman of his dreams but you knew this Tippi girl was not it. With a quick swipe, the delete button pulls up and before you can give it a second glance you click it. Tippi didn’t seem like the kinda girl that would follow up so you felt instant relief knowing that you could now find Clyde’s soulmate without any more distractions. Clyde looks up at you with his phone still in your hand, you quickly find a song that you can play so he doesn’t get suspicious.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Now everybody, have you heard, if you're in the game<br/>
Then the stroke's the word<br/>
Don't take no rhythm,<br/>
Don't take no style<br/>
Gotta thirst for killin',<br/>
Grab your vial uh</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Put your right hand out, give a firm handshake<br/>
Talk to me about that one big break<br/>
Spread your ear pollution, both far and wide<br/>
Keep your contributions by your side and</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Stroke me, stroke me<br/>
Could be a winner boy you move mighty well<br/>
Stroke me, stroke me (stroke)<br/>
Stroke me, stroke me<br/>
You got your number down<br/>
Stroke me, stroke me<br/>
Say you're a winner but babe, you're just a sinner now</em>
  </strong>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
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</p><p>As the song starts to play, you start to do a sexy dance as you walk back towards Clyde whose attention is directly at you with intense eye contact and you swear you saw him wet his lips. When you get near him you flick his phone back in his direction while you continue to sing the song and dance to it. Clyde’s dark eyes finally focuses on the phone and he takes it from your hand as he watches you move away from him and dance around to entertain the other people around the bar.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Put your left foot out, keep it all in place<br/>
Work your way right into my face<br/>
First you try to bet me, you make my backbone slide<br/>
When you find you've bled me, slip on by, and</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Stroke me, stroke me<br/>
Give me the reason this is all night long<br/>
<br/>
</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Stroke me, stroke me<br/>
(Stroke)<br/>
Stroke me, stroke me<br/>
Get yourself together boy<br/>
Stroke me, stroke me<br/>
Say you're a winner but man you're just a sinner now<br/>
(Stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke)</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>You hear some whooping and hollering from the customers around the bar and better yet when you look at the jar, you see it getting filled with loose bills the customers may have on them. You do another walk around and see your friends cheering you on as you do some bend and snaps to the song, and make your way back towards the Logan brothers again as you see them both watching you, with Clyde’s intense stare again and Jimmy’s smug smile. You pass them again and you can overhear Jimmy say to Clyde.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah right, she seems like a real delicate flower there.”</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Better listen now<br/>
Said it ain't no joke<br/>
Don't let your conscience fail ya'<br/>
Just do the stroke<br/>
Don't ya' take no chances<br/>
Keep your eye on top<br/>
Do your fancy dances<br/>
You can't stop you just</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Stroke me, stroke me<br/>
(Stroke, stroke)<br/>
Stroke me, stroke me<br/>
(Stroke, stroke)<br/>
Stroke me, stroke me<br/>
(Stroke, stroke)<br/>
Stroke me, stroke me<br/>
(Stroke) do it<br/>
Stroke me, stroke me<br/>
(Stroke)<br/>
Stroke me, stroke me (keep on)<br/>
(Stroke)<br/>
Stroke me, stroke me<br/>
(Stroke)<br/>
Stroke me, stroke me<br/>
Say you're a winner but man you're just a sinner now</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
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</p><p>During the last part of the song you see some customers trying to get your attention for refills and some flirting on their part to see if they actually had a chance with you. Grabbing some glass to refill with whatever liquor was in it before, you continue to sing and dance. Between all the chatter from the customers and you focusing on refills you happily hear Clyde say to Jimmy out loud so he knew you could hear it.</p><p> </p><p>“What can I say, she’s good for business.” You didn’t have to turn around to know Clyde was smiling when he said it, and in turn it made you smile as well. Knowing that Clyde was happy with your hard work was enough to make you feel proud in yourself.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>After last call you notice Clyde was more pensive after his brother left.  You heard him mutter in frustration when he was doing the money count for the night and having to recount several times. After he was done you notice he was slamming stuff harder on counters and slamming the register closed.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, everything ok?” You weren’t sure if you should ask, after your spat with Jimmy he may not want to say anything else that involved his brother with you anymore.</p><p> </p><p>Clyde looked up and gave you a half hearted smile. “Yeah just got a lot on my mind, hey you should take the tips tonight, you worked hard with that dance you did tonight.” You saw what he was doing, thinking if he changed the subject you wouldn’t ask or pry. You felt like you had to try.</p><p> </p><p>“Anything to do with seeing your brother?” Trying to not look at him as you clean the tables and put the chairs up.</p><p> </p><p>“Actually, it has something to do with him and you.” You stop mid picking up a chair and placed it down on the floor again so you could finally get the courage to turn around and look at him with your hand on your hip. You knew you should have not started anything with him, of course Clyde would back up his family over a girl he just met. The conversation was definitely something you knew had to be discussed but in a weird way, you weren’t ready for the possible first disappointment Clyde had for you.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh?” Was the only thing you could speak out since anything else would show your fear of this conversation and not wanting Clyde to see you actually get upset.</p><p> </p><p>“I know it’s been only a month since you started working here but I think you can handle it.” Confused about where this conversation was going, it definitely was not going where you thought. “But I may need to take off a few days to help Jimmy with something, I’ll try to make it for the shift but with Jimmy working now and living in Lynchburg and you working here, I’m just more able to be flexible.”</p><p> </p><p>Blinking a few times, all you can do is stare at Clyde. “So you, the owner of the bar, is asking me, the rando girl you hired, if you can take off?” He does a short laugh and nods his head.</p><p> </p><p>“I mean, I’m also asking if you think you can handle it if I don’t show up one night for my shift this week as well.” He looks up at you and perks up as he points his hand in your direction. “I’ll make you a deal, I’ll give you a day off for every day I take off after I come back.”</p><p> </p><p>You purse your lips and raise your eyebrows to let him know you like that deal. “I mean who would turn down that deal.” Clyde laughs while he starts to look down to the floor. “So, you’re not mad at me for telling off your brother?”</p><p> </p><p>He looks at you confused but then starts laughing again. “Mad? Hell, I think Jimmy might like you more than me now because of it.”</p><p> </p><p>You scoff loudly by accident, “What, really? Your family might be the weirdest bunch of people I’ve ever met.” You go back to putting the chairs up and cleaning the tables.</p><p> </p><p>“Guess the Logan family has chosen you, looks like you got no choice in the matter.” He says softly. You don’t want to make a mountain of a mole hill and overthink what that could mean, so you try to play it off like it was not a big thing for him to say to you instead.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, you have no worries, I’ll take care of the old gal for you, and when you get back, she will be waiting with open arms…or stools?” You laugh to yourself but don’t hear any reaction from him. Out of curiosity you look back to see if Clyde just ignored your terrible joke, what you see instead is Clyde looking at you with a soft smile on his face. Feeling like you’ve been caught, you try to say something in hopes that he won’t question you looking at him. “Hey, thanks for trusting in me to take care of her, I promise she’ll be fine.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, guess I’m just so use to spending time with her every day, I think I’m just gonna miss her a lot.” He goes back to the liquor inventory, not looking at you again.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh my god, you act like I’m gonna burn her down, she will be fine. Also didn’t you spend 90 days away from her?” You get to the last table before heading back towards the bar to grab the tip jar. You tip the jar forward towards Clyde. “You Sure?” Clyde just nods. As you pour out all the money on the counter, you look at Clyde who is still doing the inventory, looking back down at the counter you move the money with your hands trying to look busy in hopes that you will gain the courage to ask the next thing to him.  “Speaking of going to jail for 90 days, your brother doesn’t have you doing anything that might involve you going to jail for something else?” You quickly look up to see Clyde stop what he is doing and turn towards you.</p><p> </p><p>“Well…” He starts to say to you but is quickly interrupted with your thoughts being spoken out loud.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, what?”</p><p> </p><p>He quickly puts his hand up to stop you from panicking and continues on what he was explaining. “Well, it’s a continuation of a cauliflower, but it should not involve anyone going to jail, I promise.”</p><p> </p><p>What does that even mean a continuation, the last continuation was the Mellie honor and the graffiti when they were kids. You looked at Clyde confused, you wanted him to elaborate but you also felt like if asked any farther you might be pushing your luck. What if there was another cauliflower and he was not telling you.</p><p> </p><p>Clyde saw you were trying to piece it together, so he just moved forward towards you from the other side of the bar and gave you that intoxicating smile he does. “After this, I told Jimmy I was done doing cauliflower favors for him, I know this might be hard since you already got an idea of who Jimmy is as a person, but please trust me, it’s gonna be ok.” All you can do is nod and go back to pretending to count the tip money. You felt him linger a little bit longer on the other side but eventually he finally moved back and the next thing you heard was the clinking of the bottles being moved around again.</p><p> </p><p>Not feeling very reassured, you just had to trust Clyde to know what he was doing. You couldn’t help but feel like you were missing something, something that was right in front of you and you couldn’t spot it. Were you not seeing it cause the Logans were just good at hiding it or was it because you weren’t a person looking from the outside anymore, would you have to admit to yourself that maybe your vison was blurred from being too close to the source?</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Jimmy Logan joins the chat. For anyone that has been keeping up with this story hasn't noticed already, This takes place between Clyde getting out of jail and the 6 months in between according to the movie. My story will go through the last bits of the movie and onward for my own timeline. Right now i'm on the movies timeline and damn did I watched and rewatch Logan Lucky just to make sure the timeline worked.</p><p>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p> </p><p>Song used was The Stroke by Billy Squier</p><p>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69fPof-ZTnU </p><p>the music video is just him performing on a stage so nothing crazy interesting happens in it but if you scroll down to the comments there are some gems in there about this song. </p><p>-------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p>Handsome Clyde look inspired by this photo:  </p><p>https://www.pinterest.com/pin/AfZkNgRr-pZuQvtuTvMiUgKxonoxH4_h1poCWUSiHdvbKNtAzF-xD0Q/</p><p>----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p>Side note: Would y'all like a Clyde POV or just stick with Reader POV? Comment if you have a opinion.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. What's Love Got To Do With It?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey Everyone!</p><p>Don't really have much to say other than thank you for the comments about whether you wanted to see a Clydes POV or not. I kinda already had a idea i wanted to do it but its nice to get a confirmation as well, so thank you.</p><p>Also....</p><p>I always feel weird about this cause even though i love to hear what people think of the story, attention was not the reason for me doing this story.</p><p>I have found myself doing a lot more TikToks instead of lurking on there and might do more stuff about this story on there, so if your interested<br/>my TikTok username is KWgeekygirl</p><p>ok. i'm gonna stop before i convince myself to delete this intro. kaythanksbye. Enjoy!</p><p> </p><p>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>September 30<sup>th</sup>, 2017</strong>
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</p><p>
  <strong> <span class="u">Readers POV</span> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p> </p><p>“So… he allowed you to man the bar while he plays criminal with his brother?” Maya says with a skeptical tone while babysitting the beer in front of her. “And you not gonna take a little bit off the top for us… I mean you.”</p><p> </p><p>“No, why do you think that someone trusting you should always be taken advantage of?” You say as you lift your arms in the air in annoyance. It’s the first day since you have taken charge of Clyde’s bar, and you felt like so far you were doing an ok job at managing it. The only unfortunate thing was that since Clyde was gone, you no longer had the capabilities to pick songs, so you were left with Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn.</p><p> </p><p>“Cause he barely knows you and yet still trusted you with his main source of income, why?”</p><p> </p><p>You just giggle to yourself while drying glasses. “Maybe he smells the similarity of our criminal past, birds of a feather flock together.” You say jokingly but still wanted to hide that it had some truth to it as well. Ever since you found out that Clyde had a past, you wanted to be honest with him about yours but you also know if it was just you it would be easier to make that decision, but it wasn’t, your friends who were like family to you were involved and that made it more complicated.</p><p> </p><p>“So, about that…” Sam chimed in sitting down next to Maya and having a rum and coke instead of a beer. “Now that we know of Clyde’s and possibly the Logans in general’s history, what’s the excuse now on why we can’t be honest with them…” Sam eyes you and then Maya. “Cause last time we had this conversation you thought they would judge us… they wouldn’t understand… we leave this place in handcuffs”</p><p> </p><p>You and Maya sit there shocked, you knew that Sam could have opinions on certain things, but she was a more go with the flow kind then anyone in the group. Beside the fact that you were secretly glad she brought it up to see how Maya would react to it, you were also very curious about why this topic was so important to her.</p><p> </p><p>“Cause we stole a car and at any minute we can have an officer come in here and ask us why we are driving a stolen car, the less people know the better.” Maya said but then paused looking at Sam who was looking down. “You haven’t told anyone, have you?”</p><p> </p><p>Sam snapped her head up and hissed out. “What… of course not, I know how little y’all think of my intelligence, but I would never put this group in danger, never.” The last never was sharp like she was trying to put a verbal exclamation on it. You notice her face relax and soften again. “I just really like Mellie; she feels like someone who wouldn’t judge us… she actually reminds me of Lexi.”</p><p> </p><p>“Ok one, we know your smart Sam…” Sam gives a side glance towards you and a silently nod knowing that you didn’t actually think she wasn’t smart. “Second, I like Mellie too, but Maya has a point, not letting them know means they can’t be charged for obstruction if it all goes to hell.”</p><p> </p><p>“Besides everything here is temporary.” Maya said assuredly. You were so use to New York never being brought up that it almost shocked you to be reminded that before this, the plan was a new life in New York. In by new life, Maya actually meant a friend who steals identities and scams people.</p><p> </p><p>The room got silent cause everyone had to be reminded that this life in Madison was not the plan. Silence broke when James came out of the bathroom with a full face of makeup and his diner outfit looking a lot more ‘James’ with glitter hints of velvet fabrics intertwine into the top.  “Holy shit, I’m gonna shine <em>in</em> <em>New York.”  </em>Singing New York in the same tune as ‘Empire State Of Mind.’ He notices the looks on all your faces and feels the tension. “What’s wrong, what happen?”</p><p> </p><p>Maya is the first to snap out of it and respond to James question. “Nothing, just talking to the girls about us sitting down and setting our trip to New York in stone.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh my god, Finally, it feels like we have been here forever, I promise I will never steal a different car from now on, just fucking shitty Nissans and Hondas.” James says with enthusiasm.</p><p> </p><p>“So, we go to New York, then what….” Sam pipes up again. You were starting to like this new Sam; you don’t know for sure what changed Sam to be more opinionated about stuff, but you realized that maybe Sam was enjoying just being a regular person as much as you were. “Go back to stealing and cheating our way through life until we get caught and have to jolt to another place?”</p><p> </p><p>No one said anything, which in a way was Sam getting her answer from Maya and James. This was the way; this was the only thing we knew, why fix what wasn’t broken in their eyes. All you could do was give a look to Sam to show that you understood where she came from but by you not saying anything, you too were part of the problem, so instead of giving you a look of appreciation, all you got from Sam was an eye roll and her remaining silent for the rest of the time. Sam knew just as much as you did that things got complicated when it was your freedom from a criminal past or the only people who have been your support system and family. Without these people, there was no way any of you would have got out of the juvie system unscathed. You look at Sam sitting at the bar as Maya and James played a quick round of darts, you looked at the bar that represented something else and reminded of the large man who usually walks around here with a smile on his face and puts up with you for some reason. You then and there decided, you needed more time and you needed to figure out how to do that quick.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <span class="u">Clyde’s POV</span> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p><strong>Almost heaven, West Virginia</strong> <strong><br/>Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River<br/>Life is old there, older than the trees<br/>Younger than the mountains, growin' like a breeze</strong></p><p> </p><p>“You listen to this song to much…” Clyde started as he sat in the passenger seat of Jimmy’s’ truck looking at a landfill ahead of him.</p><p> </p><p>Jimmy quickly interrupts Clyde before he could finish “Oh, I’m sorry it’s not some heavy beat or 80’s tune to dance to for your new bad boy persona.”</p><p> </p><p>Clyde tightens his lips and shakes his head in annoyance. “Sorry, didn’t mean to bring up a sore subject, just maybe thought you could use a little bit more variety that’s all.”</p><p> </p><p>“Nice denim on denim outfit by the way last night, you take advice from a cute girl and all of a sudden your Mr. cool guy.”</p><p> </p><p>At this point the brothers are just talking over at each other.</p><p> </p><p>“Ok, ok, I get it, Jesus H. Christ.”</p><p> </p><p>Silence fills the truck and they can hear is the machinery picking up trash in the distance.</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p><strong> <em>Country roads, take me home</em> </strong> <strong> <em><br/>To the place I belong<br/>West Virginia, mountain mama<br/>Take me home, country roads</em> </strong></p><p> </p><p>The brothers were waiting for Earl to give the ok to head out and look for the real money that Jimmy hid in the landfill. Supposedly Earl had a friend who worked in the landfill and could let them know when the supervisor took his break.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>All my memories gather 'round her </em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong><em>Miner's lady, stranger to blue water<br/>Dark and dusty, painted on the sky<br/>Misty taste of moonshine, teardrop in my eye</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p><strong>  </strong>“Soooo, speaking of the cute girl…” Jimmy slowly turns his head toward Clyde with both his hands still attached to the wheel in front of him.</p><p> </p><p>Clyde just continues to look forward towards the landfill but responds to Jimmy with a heavy sigh knowing that a nosy brother was gonna start asking questions that honestly Clyde wasn’t sure how to answer just yet.</p><p> </p><p>“Y/n… right…” Clyde still looking forward just does a slight nod. “How long have you had the hots for her?”</p><p> </p><p>Clyde again just huffs loudly, still not looking at Jimmy. “It’s not like that…I don’t… she’s passing through… Her and her friends are going to Ne…” Clyde finally looks at his brother. Jimmy is wearing the biggest smug smile that only happens when Jimmy knows he is on to something, which is very rare.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>Country roads, take me home</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong><em>To the place I belong<br/>West Virginia, mountain mama<br/>Take me home, country roads</em> </strong>
</p><p> </p><p>“Well cool guy, I see you decided to not wear one of your spiffy new outfits, what’s wrong don’t need to impress anyone today?” still wearing his smug smile he has now removed his hands from the wheel and has rotated his body to face Clyde fully as he can.</p><p> </p><p>“We’re about to dig up garbage, it was common sense to not wear anything nice today, but good try though, know your brain waves are at full capacity right now.”</p><p> </p><p>When Clyde looked away, he thought he might have outsmarted his brother and this conversation would just go away. It was silent for a while till Clyde heard Jimmy do a big inhale, he was about to say something, again.</p><p> </p><p>“So, what about paying for the tow and telling her that you made a deal with Jesse Sr. that involved our sister?” Jimmy has a full smug smile now.</p><p> </p><p>“Hm, no wonder Y/n wanted to kick your ass last night, the smile is very annoying.” Clyde looks away but has his lips tighten together. “How did you find out about that anyway?”</p><p> </p><p>“Mellie told me.”</p><p> </p><p>“When did you have the time to talk to Mellie?”</p><p> </p><p>“After I was done watching you flirt with Y/n last night… I mean, tell you the plan to get the money.” Clyde didn’t need to look at him to know that the smug smile has most likely has gotten bigger since he thought he said something clever. “I should be angry with you that you brought Mellie into your plan to woo someone, why did you pay an extra $100 for him to do it?”</p><p> </p><p>Clyde Sighs and looks down at his feet as the last part of the song plays.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>Country roads, take me home</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong><em>To the place I belong<br/>West Virginia, mountain mama<br/>Take me home, country roads</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>Take me home, down country roads<br/>Take me home, down country roads</em> </strong>
</p><p> </p><p>“I didn’t want her to think she…or her friends owed me money.” Clyde finally looks up but not toward his brother, if he looked at him, he knew that everything would show on his face. “I would hope that you and Mellie have better things to talk about than my lov…”</p><p> </p><p>Jimmy quickly snaps his head towards Clyde and raises his eyebrows while his mouth was agape. “Your what…what was that last part Clyde?”</p><p> </p><p>Silence. Now that the song was over, they couldn’t even pretend to listen to the song.</p><p> </p><p>Jimmy tsks and look towards the landfill again. “So, what about the Rv…”</p><p> </p><p>“That was Mellie’s idea.”</p><p> </p><p>“After you told her that you felt bad for leaving her at Carols shit hotel.” Jimmy huffed out a laugh. “Shit how did you convince Marie and Tony to do it… Pawn our sisters’ hand in marriage to their son in North Carolina?”</p><p> </p><p>Clyde quickly turned to look at Jimmy. “No, absolutely not.”</p><p> </p><p>“Ok big guy.” Clyde always hated when Jimmy called him that, it was his way of telling Clyde that he was caught in a lie. Even though Clyde didn’t actually pawn his sister off, he knew Jimmy’s ‘Ok big guy’ was coming from a bigger picture. He knew if Marie and Tony asked for something Clyde would gladly give it to them if it meant Y/n’s comfort.</p><p> </p><p>Clyde not sure how to respond, he instead tried to end the conversation that he knew would shut Jimmy up once and for all. “I was just trying to be a good guy...if ma were alive, she would have had me by the scruff of my neck for not doing everything in my power to help her out.”</p><p> </p><p>Jimmy sat there in silence looking at Clyde, for a half second Clyde felt like he might have pulled it off until Jimmy does the dreaded inhale again. “But mama ain’t alive… So why don’t you just admit you like this girl… it’s just us Clyde.”</p><p> </p><p>Clyde felt his face go red and the tips of his ears get hot. “What do you want me to say, Hm… Her and her friends are actually good people looking forward to their new life’s in New York, I would just get in the way.” Clyde leans into his seat and looks out again towards the landfill.</p><p> </p><p>Jimmy is also looking out towards the landfill, with his hands back to resting on top of the wheel. “We aren’t bad people, we just unlucky…but our luck is changing, with this money and the fact that the investigation has stopped, that has to mean something to you and all your family curse shit you keep up with.”</p><p> </p><p>Clyde looks at his brother. “Just because this is working does not mean we are in the clear.” Clyde says this while pointing his finger at the landfill.</p><p> </p><p>Jimmy looks at Clyde with his mouth agape. “And a pretty girl just walking into your bar one night after her car so happen to break down nearby, and the fact she is currently living on your driveway and now working with you, how is that not a damn sign?”</p><p> </p><p>Clyde not knowing what to say shrugs his shoulders.</p><p> </p><p>Jimmy sighs loudly and looking back towards the landfill. “Man, I can’t believe you not gonna try, before you know it, she will be gone and your gonna regret it.”</p><p> </p><p>Clyde gets silent and opens his mouth and closes it quickly and opens it again, inhales but then closes it again. Clyde knew he could tell his brother the plan, but he also knew it very well could add gasoline to the already lit fire as well. Jimmy slowly turns back towards Clyde as he hears the inhale and sees Clyde close his mouth. Clyde knew it would be better coming from him than someone else and with this town it could be anyone.</p><p> </p><p>“She’s… actually helping me…find someone.” Clyde can’t look at Jimmy when he finally gains the courage to say it out loud, but when he hears nothing from Jimmy, Clyde finally turns towards his brother. Jimmy’s face has with a little bit of everything on it. Confusion? Shock? Surprise?</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sorry, I must be getting hard of hearing… did you say that the girl you obviously like…” Clyde tries to interrupt but Jimmy quickly stops him before he can protest. “Don’t, you’ve given all the answers I need without actually saying it.” Clyde just huffs and stares straight forward. “That the girl you like is helping you find a lesser girl to replace her, in hopes you will feel even remotely the same as you do about her?”</p><p> </p><p>Clyde still looking forward just does a slight nod.</p><p> </p><p>Silence.</p><p> </p><p>Jimmy erupts in roaring laughter. Jimmy laughter starts to sound like it’s dying down until Clyde looks at Jimmy and the loud laughter starts up again. Clyde just looks away and waits patiently while his brother contains himself.</p><p> </p><p>“Shit Clyde, I knew you weren’t great with girls, but holy shit, this another level.”</p><p> </p><p>Clyde still not looking at his brother in fear that another round of laughter might consume Jimmy again. “As a matter of fact, I might already have someone in mind.”</p><p> </p><p>Jimmy wiping one of his eyes while still trying to talk and calm his laughter. “Oh yeah, who’s the lucky girl.” In Clyde’s peripheral he see’s Jimmy do air quotations on ‘lucky girl.’</p><p> </p><p>“Her name is Tippi, I hope she is coming to the bar to meet me, Pete told me he gave her my number to set it up, but I haven’t heard from her.” Clyde says as he looks into his pocket to look at his phone out of habit.</p><p> </p><p>“Wait you say Pete… weirdo Pete?” Jimmy looks at him with furrowed brows.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, she’s his neighbor…”</p><p> </p><p>“His Neighbor… you mean the trailer park where someone was arrested for having a pet cougar in their trailer?” Jimmy looked away like he was frustrated. “Clyde, Pete don’t know nice girls, and no one respectable lives in that trailer park.”</p><p> </p><p>“she almost called the police on him…”</p><p> </p><p>“Who doesn’t almost call the police on Pete, his own damn mother almost called the police on him.” As Jimmy lifts both of his hands up in the air and thuds his hands back on the steering wheel. Jimmy sighs loudly and adjust his cap on his head, almost like a nervous tick.</p><p> </p><p>“Well you never judge a book by it’s cover, she might be amazing.” Before Jimmy could respond he hears a loud whistle and see’s Earl in the distance waving for them to come along. Clyde finally see’s what Jimmy is looking at and is already out of the truck. With a heavy sigh Jimmy follows suit.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <span class="u">Readers POV</span> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  </strong>
</p><p>The day has been busy but nice, you were very proud of yourself being able to do this on your own. By the time Maya, James and Sam left, it also left you time to plan a way to stay here just a little bit longer. You figured out the best way to go would be to make it harder to get the part that y’all have been saving up for, according to Earl the part was in, but he couldn’t put it in until he knew we had the money for it. If you so happen to hide that money maybe it would give you the time you needed.</p><p> </p><p>As you were in mid thought you heard the chime of the front door, it was almost closing time and you weren’t sure why anybody would come in so late.</p><p> </p><p>“Evening.” Finally looking up you see a woman with bright curly red hair and a halter top that left little to the imagination. “How can I help you?’</p><p> </p><p>You see the girl not answer you and start looking around the bar.</p><p> </p><p>“Looking for someone?” Finally, the girl looks at you but with an annoyed look on her face.</p><p> </p><p>“Clyde here or not?”</p><p> </p><p>You knew a lot of people knew Clyde and probably was confused when they saw just you in here, maybe this is what that was. “Not. Sorry. He had some other busi…”</p><p> </p><p>“And who the hell are you?” she says with a snide tone that honestly you were kinda getting real tired of all of a sudden.</p><p> </p><p>“My name is Y/n, I work with Clyde.” You said with a bit of a sharper tone than what you were using previously, before that you were using your nice tone, now you were using the bitch tone.</p><p> </p><p>She just eyes you up and down in a judgmental way. “Didn’t know Clyde let fat girls work the bar.”</p><p> </p><p>Everything in your power was stopping you from making a scene, Clyde gave you his trust to take care of his bar and it would not look good with this bitches’ blood smeared all over the place. “Well sorry he’s not here, why don’t I relay a message for you, mkay.”</p><p> </p><p>She sighs loudly and takes her purse and slams it on the bar. “Wanna get a pen and paper, honey.”</p><p> </p><p>You fake a smile. “Nope not really…” when you see her about to protest you interrupt her and point to your head. “I have a really great memory… go on…honey.”</p><p> </p><p>She leans forward like she’s trying to be intimidating and starts to talk slow at you like you couldn’t comprehend what she was saying. “Tell. Him. That. Tippi. Came. To. See. Him.”</p><p> </p><p>“That all…Tiffi?”</p><p> </p><p>“Tippi. T-I-P-P-I…. tell him I’ll be back and I can’t wait to…” Tippi giggles. “Meet him.” She grabs her purse and all of a sudden head towards the door.</p><p> </p><p>“Ok, good meeting you Toni.” You say before she pushes pass the door. You see her pause for a minute and look back at you to give you a glare before leaving through the door.</p><p> </p><p>Shit. Shit. Shit. That was Tippi and she unfortunately is the kind of girl to actually check back in. Also, she’s the kind of girl who you knew was for sure not good enough for Clyde. You had no doubt in your mind you had to stay now, for the sake of Clyde not ending up with the wrong girl. You had to be ready when the devil came back to the bar.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p>Hope y'all enjoy the convo between Clyde and Jimmy. I found myself laughing out loud when i re-read their dynamic.</p><p>Also new original character joins the chat. Tippi is based on certain people i know, she's gonna be hella fun to write for. </p><p>Another note that i feel like i should just put out there so there is no confusion, Tippi is replacing Sarah Grayson in this story.<br/>Like i said i followed the movies timeline but when it came to Sarah showing up, i was lost on how to deal with her character. I decided that Tippi would be the start of my non canon timeline. Tippi is not a FBI agent, she's just trash.</p><p> </p><p>The obvious song in this chapter is Take Me Home, Country Roads by John Denver</p><p>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GV3E5e7fZ6M 😂</p><p>the title of this chapter is a reference to a Tina Turner Song called What's Love got to do with it</p><p>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGpFcHTxjZs</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chaos In Party Form</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <strong>
    <span class="u">October 5<sup>th</sup>, 2017</span>
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</p><p>
  <strong>
    
  </strong>
</p><p>You were eating a burger and occasionally refilling the drinks of the two people sitting at the bar. It was in the middle of the afternoon, so it wasn’t that busy, Clyde was still gone, and it was all up to you to take care of everything. You heard the door open and now out of instinct, you immediately welcomed whoever came in. You were just about to take another big bite out of your bacon burger when all of a sudden you were jolted out of your daze by a familiar voice.</p><p> </p><p>“I leave you for a few days and you’re eating food all out of the open in front of customers.” You stopped mid bite to look at Clyde who thankfully by the smile on his face was only saying it to tease you.</p><p> </p><p>“A girls gotta eat.”  you place down the burger back on the plate and brush your hands over it, you look over at Clyde who is still in front of the bar. “What can I get you stranger?”</p><p> </p><p>Clyde laughs. “My bar back for starters.” You give him a fake pensive look. As Clyde started heading to the back of the bar, you finally notice Jimmy was behind him the whole time and just smiling at you as he took a seat.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey there Y/n, don’t mind me from…whatever that was.”  You chose to ignore him and change the subject.</p><p> </p><p>“So how was the thing y’all just needed to do?” you look back and forth towards Jimmy and Clyde, who was now behind the bar next to you.</p><p> </p><p>“Great, we are having a celebration tomorrow night for a successful…” Jimmy looks around to see if any people were either too close or listening on. “Job.” He says winking at you. You roll your eyes at him and look at Clyde who was lightly laughing at you and Jimmy’s interaction.</p><p> </p><p>“So, we are celebrating you getting revenge on your sister’s old manager?” You looked at both Clyde and Jimmy, and both looked at each other like they were having a conversation with their eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“This was something different.” Clyde says nonchalantly like he did not just confess another crime to you. Before you can ask something, Jimmy deflects by speaking out first.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s just a small group of family and friend’s Y/n, you’ve already met a good group of them already. Least I know you’ve met Mellie and Joe Bang.</p><p> </p><p>You do a quick huff laugh. “Joe Bang? I’m pretty sure I would remember someone named Joe Bang.”</p><p> </p><p>Clyde hummed to get your attention, “You actually have, he’s the guy with the red shirt looking for Jimmy the other night.” You slowly looked at Clyde. You can’t believe your hearing Clyde talk about someone who looked like he was ready to shed blood that night would ever be invited to a party ever from the Logans.</p><p> </p><p>“We patch things up, he will be more civil tomorrow I’m sure. Maybe you can properly introduce yourself to him now.” Jimmy smiles a big shit eating grin, one that you were actually getting tired of seeing cause you knew now that when Jimmy got one of these smiles, he was about to say something snarky. “unless he gets to you first.” Jimmy looks at Clyde quickly before focusing on his beer and taking a sip. Clyde looks down. You wonder what Jimmy was assuming and if Clyde said something about you in private. You really never knew what Clyde actually thought about you when you were dancing around the bar with outfits that left little to the imagination, you just didn’t even think that he could think negatively about it. “Actually, Clyde you should invite that Tippi girl.” Your fear of what Clyde truly thinks of you is suddenly cut when you hear the devils’ name said out loud.</p><p> </p><p>“Tippi? You finally heard back from her or something?” You were trying to sound as nonchalant as possible in hopes if she tried to text him again, she didn’t tell him about their one on one at the bar.</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t know about this Tippi girl anymore, she was supposed to text me, but I haven’t heard from her.” Clyde looked down like he was scared he already did something wrong.</p><p> </p><p>You could be an actual good person right now and tell him that Tippi did show up, that she and her tiny halter top, if that’s we were supposed to call it… did show up. Then you remembered.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Didn’t know Clyde let fat girls work the bar.”</em>
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</p><p>Fuck that bitch. She didn’t deserve Clyde.</p><p> </p><p>“Maybe this is fate telling you that she just wasn’t it, don’t worry we’ll get another one.” You say as you wink at Clyde hoping to lift his spirits, but you notice the internal conflict is still going through his mind. You look over at Jimmy who is giving you a skeptical look. Clyde goes and starts doing a look around the bar. You don’t feel offended that he is checking your work, it’s almost cute that he has an impulse to be protective of this bar that he obviously loves dearly. You can’t help but watch as he looks at every nook and cranny that makes this bar, his bar.</p><p> </p><p>“So…” Your interrupted by a voice that sounds like hillbilly Charles Manson, you slowly turn around to look at Jimmy with an annoyed face that he dares interrupt you while you stare at his brother. “Tippi never came around or texted him, huh.”</p><p>Your now fully facing him but with a still annoyed face.</p><p> </p><p>“Yep, sucks for her, I guess.” As you look away and start to pretend to wipe the counters, your hoping he doesn’t see the lie.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah I guess so. Oh, hey I’m bringing my ex-wife’s brother in law with me as well tomorrow, he knows cars and can probably help you with your mustang problem, in whatever way you see fit I’m sure.” You weren’t sure what he meant by that, but you just nodded at him. Jimmy quickly chugs his drink and pats his pockets to make sure he has everything, just as he starts to head toward the exit he stops and turns around and comes back to the bar. “Another thing that I could not help but notice, why you always grabbing my brothers’ phone the other night?”</p><p> </p><p>You looked startled about the question, what was he assuming here. “Oh uh, blu... Bluetooth for the jukebox.” You continue to wipe the non-existent mess on the counter not feeling as confident as before.</p><p> </p><p>He just looked at you for a minute and after what felt like several minutes. “You know it’s really nice of him to trust you with his phone like that, phones got an awful lot of personal stuff in it you know, photos, reminders…texts.”  Your head shot up in surprise, you tried to defer it by relaxing your face, but you don’t think you were doing a very good job. His face went from a blank stare to the what now just feels like the ‘Jimmy Logan’ smug smile. “See ya tomorrow night Y/n.” he started walking back to the exit before he lifted his hand and shouted at Clyde. “See ya Clyde.” Clyde got in a quick hand wave before Jimmy was out through the door. You were confused more than anything, how the hell would he have known that you deleted the text from Tippi, there was no way. The paranoia kicked in just as Clyde was putting his hand on your shoulder. You jumped, but when you saw Clyde you smiled and laughed out of embarrassment.</p><p> </p><p>“Sorry, must have a lot on my mind, everything looking okay, inspector?” you said as you raised your eyebrows at him. He started to look down like he was ashamed for getting caught trying to check your work.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sorry, I just, I missed this place, I missed you…I mean, seeing you every day.” He starts to get red in the cheeks and looks away. As you feel yourself getting red, you decided to change the subject.</p><p> </p><p>“Good to have you back, but now to those three days I get, for the three days you missed.” You say with a smile. Clyde just laughs and looks back at you.</p><p> </p><p>“You can take those days whenever you feel like it darling.” Y’all share a smile at each other. “But really thank you for taking care of her.”</p><p> </p><p>“Her? Maybe we don’t need to find you a lady after all, she been here all along.” You said with a sarcastic smile. Clyde rolled his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, well you can’t cuddle with a bar at night, feel their heartbeat as you drift off to sleep…call them otter.” He says with a smile on his face, knowing he is using your words against you.</p><p> </p><p>You look at him like he was showing you the stars again, he deserved everything and so much more. In the back of your mind you go to a place where it’s you he’s holding at night and placing kisses on your forehead, to get the privilege to call him your otter. You come back to reality and Clyde is still looking at you. He doesn’t belong to you and he never will. While he has Christmases and year anniversaries with his significant other, you will most likely will be back in jail for what just feels like borrowed time. “She’s out there somewhere Clyde.” He smiles and turns around to get someone a refill, as you are left in your sadness.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
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    <span class="u">October 6<sup>th</sup>,2017</span>
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</p><p> </p><p>The party was small but lively with all the people you’ve known or met before. Finally, you properly got to be introduced to Joe Bang, who for some reason now didn’t seem as scary, and more like a bumbling fool barely getting by. Jimmy eventually comes into the bar with a tall fit man walking beside him, you realize that must be the ex’s new brother in law he told you about before accusing you of doing something to Clyde’s phone. Which from your knowledge had no solid evidence to prove it. You see Jimmy go over to the bar where Clyde was setting up a free round of shots for everyone. You looked at them wondering what they were talking about, hoping Jimmy was not telling Clyde on you for deleting the text from Tippi. You were in a daze until you heard a deep voice shake you out of it.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey there, can I get a beer?” When you look over, you see the tall man that was previously with Jimmy, he had blue eyes and brown hair and looked good in his tight white shirt which obviously was showing off his fit form.</p><p> </p><p>“Uh yeah.” You quickly grabbed a beer from underneath and open it up for him. “Wanna start a tab?” He looked at you and just smiled, before placing his eyes on the floor.</p><p> </p><p>“Sure, but on one condition, I like to know the people’s names who is making my drinks.” He looks up immediately as he finished what he was saying. Caught off guard you blurted your name to him.  “Oh wow, that’s a very beautiful name you got there, I’ll be looking for you tonight, don’t think I can trust anyone else with my drinks but you.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m not from around here, your wasting time.” You say out of nowhere, why this guy making you so nervous, you’ve dealt with guys like this before, dude-bros who were smooth talkers. He just smiles as he gives you direct eye contact.</p><p> </p><p>“What a coincidence, I’m not from here either, we should have a little fun while we are in the same place at the same time, fate sounds like it’s telling us something, don’t you think?”</p><p> </p><p>Knowing you should of eye rolled and walked away but for some reason this guy was doing something you haven’t seen in a while. It piqued your interest. “I don’t even know your name.” As you leaned over the bar and crossed your arms in front of you.</p><p> </p><p>Name’s Tyler Chapman, you might have heard of my family on the Chapman motor vehicle commercials?” You look shocked for and minute before you immediately go back to a blank face.</p><p> </p><p>“Omg, no I haven’t, guess your gonna have to find another way to impress me.” You put a fake sad face on as he just laughs at your sarcastic tone.</p><p> </p><p>“How bout the fact that I specialize in Mustangs and I heard you were having a little trouble with yours?” With a smug smile and a head tilt, he knew you were now paying attention.</p><p> </p><p>
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</p><p>Jimmy just got done telling Clyde all about his plan on how he knew the coast was clear and the FBI were done looking into it. Clyde being super impressed that his brother could actually put that much thought almost brought a tear to his eye. Ever since he could remember, people always looked down on the Logan family, saying stories about how they were simple minded and always getting into trouble, it was nice to see a win for their family.</p><p> </p><p>
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    <em>While I'm a makin' beds you're out a makin' time</em>
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    <em><br/>You rob my piggy bank and spend my last thin dime<br/>On wine women and song.</em>
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</p><p> </p><p>“That’s pretty good, you think that up all on your own?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, I did.” Jimmy said proudly</p><p> </p><p>“That’s a lot of thinking for a Logan.” They clink their shot glasses and down the Especial. As the tequila burned his throat he looked over to Y/n and saw her talking to a tall man and looking pretty flirty with him as she leaned against the bar and smiling at him. “Who’s that?” he turned to look at his brother for an answer but was talking to Sylvia, the new beau in his life. Clyde looked back at y/n and this tall man talking again and saw that you were really invested in what he was saying. He must have been a smooth talker to get your attention like he did. Even though it was none of Clyde’s business, then why did Clyde keep looking over to see if maybe what he was seeing was a fluke. Sadness came over him, maybe his brother was right, if he didn’t tell her how he felt, would he regret it? Clyde looks around the room to see his brother and Sylvia flirting close to each other, then when Clyde put the shots next to Mellie and Joe, they even seem flirty with each other, which of course he was going to have to get on to Mellie for that later. His eyes go back to Y/n and this guy, she was touching his shoulder and laughing at his jokes, for a minute Clyde wondered why it couldn’t be him she was touching and laughing with. Clyde never felt more alone in a room full of people.</p><p> </p><p>“Well hey there stranger.” Clyde looks up to see the person who matched the voice. It was a beautiful woman with curly red hair and a smile that could light up a room. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you. Names Tippi, heard you were looking for me too.”</p><p> </p><p>
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    <em>Well, one of these nights you're gonna come home</em>
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  <strong><em></em><br/>You'll find its coming on to you<br/>You'll see what you've done and what's good for one<br/>Is also good for two...</strong>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hello all, this is officially the last chapter which follows the Logan Lucky timeline, here on out i'm on my own. wish me luck. 😅</p><p>The song used for this chapter actually was the song playing in the movie called Wine, Woman and Song by Loretta Lynn. Kinda love that the lyrics worked out like that.</p><p>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cryBbF4lboU</p>
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<a name="section0012"><h2>12. It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to</h2></a>
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    <span class="u">October 6<sup>th</sup>, 2017</span>
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</p><p>You’re looking at this guy like he was crazy, you must have heard him wrong. You were staring at him not because what he offered was crazy but also, it ruined your plans if you did this. “So, you will let me borrow a Mustang from your family’s car lot if I go out with you?” He just smiles and nods. “You understand you don’t need to bribe me to date you, unless you think this is some fucking Duke and Satine situation, in which I need to remind you several things at this point; this is not Paris, I don’t live in a windmill and most importantly I’m not a whore.” You say this while you laugh and place your hand on his arm in a sarcastic reassuring way. He laughs and leans in closer to you, out of habit you move slightly back from him.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah well, I usually impress women with my Chapman car commercial line, but alas you’re a tough nut to crack, besides technically it wasn’t my idea. Heard you got Logan angels watching over you.” Out of instinct you looked over to where you saw Jimmy and Clyde last. When you looked over you saw only Jimmy talking really close to a girl with a brown pixie cut, not seeing Clyde you looked around till you spotted him. Of all the times of being in juvie and always being in trouble, you were proud to say you never got into a fight and felt what it’s like to be punch in the stomach, but you were now sure this is probably what it felt like. Clyde was clinking his shot glass with a woman, but not just any woman, Tippi was back and you didn’t even notice. Your heart kept breaking when you watched them, he was smiling and looking at her, she would place her hands on him and smile back. You just needed a pair of eyes to see that these two were hitting it off and both were very attracted to each other. “So, what do you say?” your eyes darted back to the man in front of you. The harsh reminder that this was it, flirt with men to get stuff and continue on your way, people like you, don’t do love.</p><p> </p><p>You looked down at the counter, to him it looks like you were acting shy, but you knew what it really was, but too scared to say out loud. “Um, sure, you actually came at a great time, I get three free days off work whenever I please.” You tried to place you best seductive voice, hoping he would just think that you changed your mind.</p><p> </p><p>“Great! How about next Friday?” With a smirk on his face you could tell that this guy got his way a lot, not a lot of people say no to him. You just smile and nodded to him. “7 sounds good?” you looked over to Clyde again who at the same time was turning his head to look at you. For what felt like minutes, hours, hell even days you stared at each other, what felt like not just looking at each other but looking into each other’s souls. You were the first to drop it and just give him a smile of reassurance. Breaking eye contact felt like you were giving up, waving the white flag that was the possibility of something different.</p><p> </p><p>You saw Tyler still looking at you with that smirk on his face, you placed a fake smile and touched his arm.  “Actually, can we try for earlier?</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
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</p><p>“Something wrong honey?” Clyde looks back to the woman in front of him, she was beautiful, he would be crazy if he didn’t notice that every man in this bar had their eyes on her. Why could he not focus? She asked something before Clyde looked away, what was it again?</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sorry, I always get distracted with the bar, what was the question you asked?” Clyde was shaking his head and rubbing his temples before looking back up at Tippi.</p><p> </p><p>“Aww poor baby…” She leans into the bar and placing her hand on his that was holding the edge of the counter. “Maybe it’s time to find some decent help so you don’t have to be so stressed.” Clyde looks up ready to protest that he did have good help from Y/n, until she interrupted. “I asked when you could take me out on a proper date silly.”</p><p> </p><p>Clyde looking dazed for a minute. This is what he wanted, to find a good lady who is here and present, someone to come home to after a long night at the bar. What the hell was with the hesitation? “Actually, let me talk to my other bartender about it, I just took 3 days off from the bar and gave her 3 free days to take for herself, just need to make sure I’m not asking you on a date when she is choosing her night off.“ Clyde smiles trying to soften the blow of letting Tippi know she was being put on a back burner slightly for convenience and to work out how he was feeling.</p><p> </p><p>Tippi gives Clyde a look of frustration but then begins to soften her face. “Yeah, I noticed you being gone when I came in on Monday, I left a message for the other bartender there to give you…I think, not sure why she would not let you know about it, maybe it was another bartender?” Tippi’s eyes were furrowed in concern and she looked away from Clyde. “Don’t wanna be considered a tattle tale or nothing, hope you don’t think differently of me.”</p><p> </p><p>Clyde immediately thinking Tippi wouldn’t actually be accusing Y/n of doing anything like trying to stop him from meeting her. That’s crazy. “I’m sure she forgot, but I’ll talk to her tonight and get back to you?” Tippi nods as she bites her lip. She quickly takes out her phone and types something on her keyboard, it’s not until Clyde hears the beep from his phone that he realized that she texted him. He looks at his phone</p><p> </p><p>
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    <em>Tippi: hey there stranger! let me know when you can cum out and play. ;)</em>
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</p><p> </p><p>Clyde looks up at Tippi who is biting her lip again. “So there is no confusion this time.” She winks as she jumps off the stool. “Bye honey.” And struts her way out of the bar. Clyde choosing to watch until he could not see her anymore.</p><p> </p><p>“Clyde, can I get two beers over here?” Clyde looks over to the voice and see’s that it’s Jimmy as he continues to talk to Sylvia in a lower voice. Clyde heads over and grabs 2 beers from underneath and pop’s them open.</p><p> </p><p>“So, who was the pretty girl Clyde?” Sylvia says with a smirk on her face. You got to meet her one night when Jimmy invited her to a family dinner, she seemed nice and for some reason was ok with Jimmy’s bullshit half the time. Finding out she actually knew about the heist when Jimmy gave her a bit of his share to her and her free clinic, she could have told the FBI on them, but kept the Logan secret. That made her earn Clyde and Mellie’s trust as well.</p><p> </p><p>“Actually, that was Tippi, Pete’s neighbor that he was trying to set me up with.” Jimmy opens his mouth in pretend fake shock while Sylvia just looks over at him.</p><p> </p><p>“I thought you said Pete didn’t know nice girls?” Saying in a slightly hushed tone.</p><p> </p><p>“Well to be honest the jury is still out...” he said softly back to Sylvia, before quickly looking back at Clyde “Hey, that’s great she came anyway, how’d it go?”</p><p> </p><p>“Pretty good, I think we are gonna try to go out some night, hopefully next week.”</p><p> </p><p>Jimmy heavily sighs before looking at Clyde with a knowing look. “What’s keeping you from making plan big guy?” Clyde just looks at Jimmy back with a annoyed look.</p><p> </p><p>“I actually told Y/n she could take 3 days off for the 3 days I took off, just need to make a plan with her about what nights she wants so I can figure out when she could cover me… and possibly help me pick something nice to wear.”</p><p> </p><p>“Help you?” Jimmy says with his eyes raised. Clyde not wanting to give eye contact, he knew how he felt about Y/n giving him a makeover.</p><p> </p><p>“She’s just really good at making me look nice, that’s all.” He murmured. He turned his head to see you grabbing what looked like a business card from the tall man’s hand as he holds it between his index and middle finger and smiling at y/n like he was proud of himself for catching a piece of prey. Y/n grabs the card hastily from his grip and proceeds to say one last thing to him before she leaves his side to help refill drinks for other customers. The man continues to smirk at y/n as he watches her for a bit before leaving the bar to find a seat elsewhere. As he turns away, the man’s eye catches Clyde looking and proceeds to wink at him like they shared some kind of secret. Clyde felt something he hasn’t felt in a while, his skin crawl.</p><p> </p><p>“Guess she took the bait.” Clyde shot his head in the direction towards his brother.</p><p> </p><p>“What the hell you mean, taking the bait?” Jimmy looked at Sylvia and whispered in her ear. Sylvia all of a sudden gets up from the stool.</p><p> </p><p>“Had to go check my makeup anyway, I’ll be back.” Before giving Jimmy a kiss and departing for Jimmy and Clyde to have a private conversation. Before Jimmy starts talking, he rubs his face and sighs loudly.</p><p> </p><p>“That man y/n was talking to, is Moody’s little brother Tyler, I invited him cause I know the Chapman knows a thing or two about Mustangs, I also know Tyler does favors like letting people borrow cars to test drive and he goes and gets them back after a while, thought that would work out for her and her friends.”</p><p> </p><p>Not sure what came over him, he leans into the bar towards his brother and with the strictest tone he’s ever heard come out of his mouth.  “That was none of your goddamn business Jimmy.”</p><p> </p><p>Jimmy knew two things about his brother, he was younger but for some reason grew taller than anyone in the family, so much that it was mentioned as a joke within the Logan clan. Then with him joining the army, it made his stature even more intimidating afterwards. The second thing he knew was that even with his intimidating appearance, he wouldn’t ever actually hurt a fly unless he had to.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey Clyde, can I grab your phone for some music?” Clyde snapped his head and suddenly soften when he saw who it was. He quickly straightens his body up and away from Jimmy. “didn’t mean to interrupt something, hopefully Ted Bundy is not getting you to do something else for him.” She looks at Jimmy with a stern look and puts her hands on her hips. Clyde smiles at her, that’s one of the things he always liked about her, she didn’t have to protect him like she did, but she actually seemed genuinely concerned for Clyde.</p><p> </p><p>“Aww, so you think I’m charming, I knew I would grow on you y/n.” he says as he gives the ‘Jimmy Logan smirk’ and winks at her, which Clyde does not appreciate</p><p> </p><p>“If she has a lick of sense, she should hopefully know not to fall for it.” Sylvia says as she gets back on the stool and looks at Jimmy with a smirk.</p><p> </p><p>“Why not…you fell for it?” Jimmy smiles and lays a sweet kiss on her lips as she smiles into it. After they separate Jimmy introduces Sylvia to Y/n and they shake hands.</p><p> </p><p>“The infamous stranger in the night, your pretty popular here in these parts I heard.”</p><p> </p><p>“Hopefully nothing but good things, I hope.” She says as she glances quickly at Clyde.</p><p> </p><p>Just as Clyde was about to hand his phone to Y/n, jimmy interjects. “Hey Y/n did you see that Tippi was here?”</p><p> </p><p>She exhales a heavy sigh before saying, “Yeah I saw her.”</p><p> </p><p>Clyde was giving his brother a death glare until he heard her response, how did she know that was her, unless what Tippi said to him had some truth to it. “You knew, have you seen what she looks like before?”</p><p> </p><p>Y/n was caught off guard by Clyde’s tone and wasn’t sure how to answer. Clyde could see the gears in her head trying to find the words to say, he at this point was just hoping for the truth.</p><p> </p><p>“I actually saw her on Monday, but Clyde, I knew she was gonna be back and I had a lot of other things I was dealing with at the Duck Tape.” Clyde just nods and hands the phone to her, before she could grab it from him, he jerks it back towards him.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey from now on, if someone comes looking for me, you let me know regardless if you think they gonna come back or not.” Clyde was looking at the floor before jerking his head up to look at her. “Also, from now on when you use my phone could you remain close by, I would hate to miss some texts from Tippi from now on.”  She looked shocked at Clyde but then looked down before looking up with a more confident look.</p><p> </p><p>“Uh, Sure Clyde.” With that, Clyde handed his phone to her and she sheepishly took it from him. “Thanks.” She murmurs.</p><p> </p><p>Clyde feeling weird about the exchange, looked back at his brother. Jimmy was not looking back at him. Clyde wondered if maybe he assumed to soon.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p>The chapter got away from me and i forgot to put a song in but the title of the song is a really great oldie but goodie so i'm just gonna put that in here.</p><p> </p><p>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIsnIt1p978</p><p> </p><p>Comment and like if you enjoyed the chapter!!!!</p>
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<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Stars are Blind</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey everyone know this is long overdue, but it's here and hopefully the chapter will be good enough to make up for the long gap in between.</p><p>Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
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    <span class="u">October 7<sup>th</sup>, 2017</span>
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</p><p>After the night before, you weren’t sure how to approach Clyde today, everyday at around 7 or 8 you would go over to his house and have coffee and sometimes Clyde would even make you breakfast. Would you be welcomed today? As you started getting up, right on cue Maya and James loudly come through the door.</p><p> </p><p>“What do you mean that guy had the hots for you, James not every trucker that come’s in wants you.” As they take off their shoes and Maya unwind her hair out of the updo it was in.</p><p> </p><p>“He did I swea…” James starts to laugh but all of the sudden their attention lands on you. When you notice them staring, you give them a look of confusion and shake your head at them.</p><p> </p><p>“What! Why are y’all staring at me like that?” They just look at each other before doing a round of ‘Rock, Paper, Scissors.’ Leaving in disbelief all you could do was roll your eyes and mutter “I can’t believe this.” An exclamation came from James, which you figured that it meant he won and didn’t have to talk to you.</p><p> </p><p>“Goddamn it, you’re such a fucking cheater.” Maya looked back at you then back at James. “Just go to bed asshole.” James smirked and said good night to you before crashing on the bed.</p><p> </p><p>You notice Maya turning around and slowly coming closer to you like you were a wounded animal. You immediately put your hand up in between you and Maya. “I’m gonna stop you right there, I’m fine, it’s ok, just go to sleep.” You managed to fake a smile.</p><p> </p><p>Maya smiled and placed her hand up towards yours. “We have all been friends for a long time Y/n, we know when you’re not.” Maya grinned at you. “So, what happen at work?” You looked at Maya and heavily sighed.</p><p> </p><p>“Think I upset Clyde today…” As you were about to tell her everything, you remembered that Maya doesn’t and couldn’t know what was really happening. “I think I messed up on inventory and Clyde went all big boss on me today, it was the first time he had to do it.” Maya just looks at you a second while still holding your hand.</p><p> </p><p>“That’s it, girl really?” She lets go of your hand and slight half step away from you.  “Y/n, who cares, the job is temporary, you think James and me are putting 110 percent at the diner, absolutely not. We do the bare minimum and we get the fuck out of this place. It’s not rocket science honey.” Staring at her you remember that she wanted just as bad as James to get out of Madison, something you were not sure if you could agree with anymore.</p><p> </p><p>You fake a smile and pretend to giggle. “Yeah, your right, who cares, much better things are waiting for us in New York.” Maya smiles.</p><p> </p><p>“Woo, for a minute there I thought you were listening to Sam to much, talks about a life where we just…work all the time.” Maya visibly shudders. “I don’t know what I would do if I lost you…you’re my best friend, but don’t tell them I said that or they will get defensive and shit.” Maya nudges you on the shoulder playfully, you both share a smile and Maya starts heading for the bigger bed. “You know, we’d all be lost without you right, like in case you feeling like lost or confused or something, the thing that will never stop is our love for you, not sure if you needed to hear that but...anyways good night.” All you could do was nod your head and start heading to the door. There was no way she would get it and be understanding about the sabotage you were not only doing to Clyde but also the plan in hopes of staying here longer. As you open the door you heard a thud from behind it. Carefully peaking your head behind, you saw Clyde holding his forehead.</p><p> </p><p>“What cha doing coming out of that trailer like a bat outta of hell?” realizing what you did you immediately take a step towards him and hold his head where he was holding before.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh my god, I’m so sorry Clyde, just had a lot on my mind, are you ok?” Clyde laughs quickly before looking back at you with those beautiful honey suckle eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll live, actually came here to apologize to you.” You all of a sudden back away</p><p>and made an audible oh sound. Clyde smiles but then gets serious for a minute. “I should have not been so stern with you last night, swear I trust you I just had so many people in my ear; my brother, Tippi, seeing you with Moody’s brother...”</p><p> </p><p>You quickly interrupt him. “What does me talking to Tyler have anything to do with the situation between you and me?” Tilting your head, you’re confused than ever.</p><p> </p><p>Clyde cleared his throat out of nervousness. “I just wasn’t ready to see you having a good time with another person, I mean... it’s not my business I just… I’m sorry.” Before you can say anything to him, or even think about what you wanted to say to him, he was talking again. “I haven’t seen Clara in a while and thought if you would like to come with me to get some breakfast, it’s on me.” You smiled and nodded.</p><p> </p><p>“Let me go get changed and I’ll meet you out here in 15?” He nodded and looked back at the house.</p><p> </p><p>“Sounds good, might need to go get some aspirin for this new ache in my head.” He puts his hand back on his head and smiles beautifully at you, for a minute you forget where you were. “See you in 15.’</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><em>Ding Ding </em>“Order up!”</p><p> </p><p>You watch as Clara grabs two plates from the pickup window and heads to the booth that Clyde and you are seated at. She places a plate in front of you. “Pumpkin pancakes with a side of sausage.” Places the next plate in front of Clyde. “And of course, your usual, the classic plate with the bacon left unattended.” As she was about to leave the side of the booth, she came back reached into her apron pocket and put a hot sauce on the table and winked at Clyde. “Let me know if y’all need anything.”</p><p> </p><p>Clyde looks down and rubs his temples. You just smile and grab your fork to dig into your pancakes. “She always like this?” as you put the first bite in your mouth.</p><p> </p><p>Clyde starts putting hot sauce all over his plate. “Not sure, I’ve never brought a girl with me to the diner.” He wasn’t looking up but you could tell he was slightly embarrassed to say that out loud. “Can I ask you something?” He looks up at you, in surprise you quickly nod at him. “What did you and Tyler talk about anyway?”</p><p> </p><p>Surprised by the question, you were not ready to tell Clyde about the “date”, but any time to tell him should be now instead of him thinking you held back information. “I actually needed to talk to you about that, I was hoping to use one of my 3 free days to go out on a…date with him.” Watching Clyde look at you and the gears in his head moving on how to word what he was going to say next.</p><p> </p><p>“Wow, a date…you’re going on a date with Moody’s brother, must have been a good conversation then.” Clyde starts looking down and trying to act like he wasn’t bothered.</p><p> </p><p>“I guess you can call it that...” You couldn’t help but roll your eyes. “We made more of a deal than anything, if I went out with him, he would lend us a Mustang to get to New York.” Clyde looks confused but then furrows his brows.</p><p> </p><p>“But what about your other car?” You forgot for a minute that everyone was under the assumption that the car in the shop was actually yours.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, I don’t know, honestly I was thinking of not even telling the group until the date, he could very well take the offer away if he felt dissatisfied with the company.” you tried to act as oblivious as possible.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re awesome, why wouldn’t he enjoy your company…” you just look at each other for a while but soon realize that your both are staring and immediately attention goes back to the food. “Actually, this works out, maybe you can take Friday, if I could have Thursday. I wanna take Tippi out on a date.” He was poking at his eggs and quickly grabs a piece of bacon and takes a bite.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh...nice, sounds like it’s going very well, any ideas on where you wanna take her for the first date?” Trying very hard to not sound upset at the idea of Tippi and Clyde going out on a date.</p><p> </p><p>Clyde looks very proud and straightens his posture. “Actually… I do, I’m gonna take her to my spot, maybe have a picnic out there.” This piqued your interest, you never heard of this spot before.</p><p> </p><p>“The spot? What’s the spot?” you said with a grin, taking another bite of your pancakes.</p><p> </p><p>Clyde mimics you as he goes for another bite of burnt bacon. “I’m actually not sure how to explain it, maybe after work I can show you?” he quickly looks up like he might have offended you. “Only if you want to, it’s on the outskirts of town so it will look…”</p><p> </p><p>“Like you’re trying to murder me?” you said with a smirk and as you took another bite of the pancake.</p><p> </p><p>“I mean, I’m not gonna kill you, but yeah you need to trust me to not kill you…” he pauses then slowly bites his bacon with a scoop of eggs. You smile loving the awkward fridge in front of you.</p><p> </p><p>“Why after work though?” you said as you leaned in closer into the table.</p><p> </p><p>Clyde looks at you and smirks. “You will have to see.” Taking the last bite into his bacon as he looks straight into your eyes and mimics the lean in.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Last Call!”</p><p> </p><p>Earl in a drunken state puts down some money, he looks at you for a minute. “You know Y/n, you’re starting to look like you belong here.” Leaning into the bar you put one hand on the edge to balance your body.</p><p> </p><p>“Well Earl, I knew that eventually I would get to you, you are after all the most important person.”</p><p> </p><p>Earl guff’s and slams his hand on the bar. “Look at you, getting funnier too, to bad your friends got a bad attitude.” You looked at him quizzingly.</p><p> </p><p>“Had a bad experience with one of my friends?”</p><p> </p><p>“Well…yeah that girl always comes to my establishment and threatens me to put the part in the car, tells me that it’s become an emergency to get outta here sooner.” He says the word ‘sooner’ in a whiny tone.</p><p> </p><p>Before you can ask anything else Clyde comes up from behind you. “Earl do I need to carry you to your truck tonight?</p><p> </p><p>“No you don’t, I’m perfectly capable of walking to my truck, the truck I hate cause I lent you my good one.” Earl said in a slur.</p><p> </p><p>Clyde looks at you and smiles. “Earl, keys please.” Earl looks back and throws his keys at Clyde. Clyde catches it with one hand while continuing to look at you. God you were turned on, but not enough for you to stop thinking about what Earl was saying.</p><p> </p><p>The moment Earl said your friend, you knew it was Maya he was talking about. Why the Sudden urgency to get out now? You knew she wanted to get to New York but also when you all talked as a group about getting more money before heading out, everyone agreed. It was no secret that you would all be here little longer than expected. For now, you would put it in the back of your mind, next time you saw Maya you would definitely ask her about it.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, I got a lot of the closing task done before last call, do you still wanna…”</p><p> </p><p>“Get murdered, oh for sure. Looking forward to it.” You can’t help but smile which Clyde smiled back knowing thankfully that it was just a joke.</p><p> </p><p>“I have a few rules though.” Your eyes widened but you simply nodded your head letting him know that you were listening. “Ok, rule number one never tell anyone about the secret spot.” He pauses and just looks at you like he was waiting for an argument or agreement.</p><p> </p><p>You cross your arms and pop your hip out. “Ok fight club, I understand. Anymore rules?”</p><p> </p><p>Clyde looks down and then up again cautiously. “I have a scarf in my glove box, I want you to put it on when I tell you to. You give him a quizzical look. “Please, it’s for the big reveal.”</p><p> </p><p>You nod. “Ok, but I have questions like why you have a scarf just chilling in your glove box?”</p><p> </p><p>Clyde smirks and looks at you sideways. “you never know when it comes in handy, but enough of that, you ready to go?”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The road was long and bumpy and from what you could see out the window, it was just the car going further and further away from the city lights. Clyde kept looking up from his window and then went back to focusing on the road, not much was said between you two, other than some short responses. You were looking out your window and saw trees surrounded this area, you knew West Virginia was a very heavily forested place but it never really hit you how deep it actually went.</p><p> </p><p>“Put the scarf on, we are almost there.” Clyde is going back and forth looking at you and the road up ahead. “Please.” He says giving you those sweet doe eye looks you swore would never work on you. Here you were in a person’s car in a heavily forested area in the middle of nowhere, so why not now. Opening up the glove box you see a piece of fabric, you reach for it only to be surprised by the feel of it. It’s a silky texture and feels wonderful to the touch. Pulling it closer you see that it’s a light blue silk scarf, why would Clyde have something like this, you were bound to find out eventually. Putting the scarf around your eyes you felt a weird sensation, even though the silk felt nice on your skin, becoming more blinded then you already were made you feel almost more aware of every bump in the road even the smaller ones you might have not felt before. The sudden stop of the car made you feel relief, but now your stomach was in knots for what was to come next.</p><p> </p><p>“Ok we are here, wait right there, I’ll come getcha.” You hear a door open and then close but a muffled sound of footsteps getting closer to your door. When you hear the passenger side door opens you feel a cold metal which you guessed was his mechanical hand on your left arm while the warmer hand was on your right shoulder. Helping you out of the car, you hear the door slam behind you. “Careful, take small steps.” You feel the metal hand wrapped around your waist as the other remains in your hand. Eventually you stop, and you feel a hot breath warm your ear from the chilly air. “Sit down right here, please.” A shiver goes up your spine, but you try to remain calm, as Clyde slowly lowers you down on a hard surface and you sadly feel the mechanical grip around your waist slowly trail from your back and off you completely. Thinking he was away from you till you heard the whisper again. “Take it off.” After a hitch of breath, you reach for the scarf and slowly look for the knot and untie it from your head.</p><p> </p><p>After your eyes adjust to the light being back you look up and see it, the sky was illuminated full of big and bright stars, while the moon shone perfectly on the side, and the fireflies danced around like they were celebrating the night. Everything looked like it was a magical place. You gasped at how anything like this could actually be real. Before your brain could even comprehend what was going on, you felt your eyes water from the pure beauty, the tears came so easily and flowed flawlessly. You gasped and touched you face to feel the water coming from your eyes, you looked down and realize that something, somebody was crouching next to you.  Looking over you finally catch the pure honeysuckle eyes looking at you. He was looking at you intently like he was trying to discover a new flower. You smiled at him and looked away embarrassed. “Don’t.” He grabs your chin gently to turn back towards him. “It’s beautiful.” You looked back at him while he studied you again looking at you’re whole face and down to your lips, you mimicked him and looked at his lips as well. Before you know it, Clyde had his lips attached to yours like if he didn’t do it, he would all of a sudden burst into flames, so needy for your touch, the need to be close to you. You felt both his hands trace over the side of your neck as he deepened the kiss, which you gladly gave him. Your eyes were closed but you could hear the zipping of the fireflies around Clyde and you. When you separated from Clyde, you looked at him to detect how he was feeling, his face was unreadable.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sorry, we probably should have not done tha…” Clyde goes in for another kiss which again you gladly give him, but this one sweeter and softer. He pulls away. Not sure what to say, your head was reeling from what just happen you could not comprehend the minute that felt like so much more. Clyde was still looking at you with his hands now on your waist. What did he want you to say? This was huge, this was big, but he was showing this to you because he wanted to show it to Tippi. The high you were feeling quickly dissipates, this was not for you, you both just got caught up in the moment. Looking at Clyde you see a smile on his face, looking down you realize you had to break it. Stepping back away from Clyde you see the confusion on his face, you could not find the strength to look at him. “Tippi is gonna love it.” Clyde is a sudden shock looks back at his car and then back at you.</p><p> </p><p>“Glad you think so. I guess.” He walks back to his car looking a little defeated.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Yay, The first perfect, not so perfect kiss. 😅</p><p>Again I let the chapter get away from me and forgot the song in it, but the chapter is a song title...</p><p>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Mj776YiPCU</p><p>Before i'm given shit for even referencing this song, it has been brought back in my life cause of a new favorite movie of mine and let's be honest, it kinda works for the chapter. 😏</p><p>Also recommended listening to<br/> -Sky Full of Stars by Coldplay<br/> - Saturn By Sleeping At Last<br/> -Silhouette by Aquilo</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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